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EMINENT  ISRAELITES 


NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 


ERRATA. 

Page  69,  line  7,  and  page  90,  line  25,  for  "  Delitsch,"  read  "Delitzsch." 
"  139,  line  1,  after  "  and  "  insert  "  other." 
"  156,  line  24,  for  "  1878,"  read  "  1877." 
"  169,  line  26,  for  "  Creiznach,"  read  *«  Creizenach." 
"  235,  lines  12  and  13,  omit  fti  The  Pilgrimage  to  Ploermel'  and." 
M  327,  line  11,  for  "  Luria,"  read  "  Loria." 
<(  336,  line  21,  for  "  Ne,"  read  "  No." 
"  347,  line  10,  omit  "and  Lebanon." 


PHILADELPHIA: 

EDWARD  STERN  &  CO. 
1880. 


EMINENT  ISRAELITES 


NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 


A  Series   of   Biographical   Sketches. 


BY 

HENRY  SAMUEL  MORAIS. 


.7.  :      ••■■*  ■■■,  . 


PHILADELPHIA: 

EDWARD  STERN  &  CO. 
1880. 


1HL&L* 


MSZ^ 


Copyright,  1879, 
By  HENRY  SAMUEL  MORA  IS. 


.  <    •      /.'.' 


.%•   :« ..:.*••••./ 


PREFACE. 


The  following  pages  form  a  work  which  is  be- 
lieved unique  in  the  English  language.  Several 
productions  of  the  same  scope  and  nature,  in  foreign 
tongues,  have  emanated  from  very  able  pens.  Their 
authors  are  assuredly  entitled  to  gratitude,  for  hav- 
ing endeavored  to  instil  into  the  hearts  of  Hebrews, 
a  love  for  their  religion  and  people,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  awaken  a  desire  for  the  study  of  a 
rich  and  vast  literature.  Besides,  such  publications 
must  tend,  in  a  great  degree,  to  uproot  prejudice, 
and  to  call  forth  among  non-Israelites,  sentiments 
of  respect  for  the  ancient  race.  To  lend  a  helping 
hand  to  this  laudable  undertaking,  has  been  the 
author's  cherished  wish. 

Considerable  information,  appearing  in  the  vol- 
ume here  presented,  was  derived  from  a  close  in- 
spection of  cyclopaedias  and  scattered  biographical 
notices.  The  principal  authorities,  however,  are 
persons  whose  knowledge  of  the  lives  and  characters 
described  is  undoubted,  and  with  whom  an  active 
correspondence  has  been  conducted.  The  writer  has 
clothed  his  sketches — seventy  of  which  appeared 
seriatim  in  The  Jewish  Record,  and   have  since  been 

445491 


IV  PREFACE. 

carefully  revised — in  a  garb  that  he  hopes  will  prove 
attractive,  the  length  of  each  article  being  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  materials  collected. 

In  the  limits  assigned  to  this  series,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  include  as  many  names  as  can  fully 
lay  claim  to  attention ;  but  it  has  been  the  author's 
constant  aim  and  effort  to  offer  clear  and  unvar- 
nished records  of  all  that  are  embraced  in  his  de- 
sign. This  much  by  way  of  explanation,  an  extended 
preface  being  neither  needful  nor  desirable. 

Still,  he  who  traces  these  lines  must  avail  him- 
self of  the  privilege  to  express  his  sincere  acknowl- 
edgments to  those  who  have  aided  this  enterprise. 
He  is  particularly  indebted  to  his  honored  father,  the 
Rev.  S.  Morais,  whose  untiring  assistance  has  greatly 
facilitated  the  task ;  to  Dr.  Abram  S.  Isaacs,  the 
talented  editor  of  The  Jewish  Messenger ;  to  Simon 
A.  Stern,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia ;  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Henry  W.  Schneeberger,  of  Baltimore,  Md. ;  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Vidaver,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal. ; 
to  Dr.  Mark  Blumenthal,  of  New  York ;  to  James 
Picciotto,  Esq.,  the  distinguished  Anglo-Jewish  his- 
torian ;  also  to  the  Jewish  press  for  kind  words  of 
encouragement,  and  likewise  to  all  who  have  shown 
their  practical  approval  of  his  endeavors. 

Without  further  remark,  the  author  submits  his 
work  to  the  judgment  of  a  discerning  public. 


CONTENTS. 


i.  Nathan  Marcus  Adler,         .  .         9 

11.  Grace  Aguilar, 12 

in.  Benjamin  Artom,    .         .         .         .         .       15 

IV.    BERTHOLD  AUERBACH,  .  .  .  1 8 

v.  Ludwig  Bamberger,  .         .         .21 

vi.  Elias  Benamozegh,      .         .         .         .  23 

vii.  Samuel  Cahen        .         .         . '  .         .27 

viii.  Jacob  Da  Silva  Solis  Cohen,  .         .           29 

ix.  Albert  Cohn,         .         .         .  .         :       33 

x.  Isaac  Adolphe  Cremieux,  .  .         -39 

xi.  Arthur  Lumley  Davids,         .  42 

xii.  Lelio  Della  Torre,  ....  44 

xiii.  Joseph  Derenbourg,        .         .         .  .48 

xiv.  David  Aaron  De  Sola,       ...  50 

xv.  Abraham  De  Sola,  53 

xvi.  Emanuel  Oscar  Menahem  Deutsch,    .  57 

xvii.  Isaac  D'Israeli,      .         .         .         .  .       61 

xviii.  David  Einhorn,  .         .         .         .66 

xix;  Herschell  Filipowski,  ...         .       71 

XX.    ACHILLE  FOULD, 74 

xxi.  Adolphe  Franck, 77 

xxn.  Zach arias  Frankel,    .  ...  .  8 1 

xxiii.  Ludwig  August  Frankl,         ...       86 


VI  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

xxiv.  Julius  Furst, 89 

xxv.  Abraham  Geiger,  ....       92 

xxvi.  Goldsmid  (Aaron,  Benjamin  and  Abraham, 

Isaac  Lyon,  and  Francis  Henry),    .  96 

xxvn.  Hirsch  Graetz,    .         .         .         .         .104 
xxvni.  Rebecca  Gratz,         .         .         .         .         109 

xxix.  Jacques   Francois   Fromental   Elie 

Halevy, 113 

xxx.  Joseph  Halevy,  .         .         .         .         116 

xxxi.  Numa  Edward  Hartog,         .         .         .119 

xxxii.  Isaac  Hays, 123 

xxxiii.  Phineas  Mendel  Heilprin,  .         .         .126 
xxxiv.  Michael  Henry,        .         .         .         .         130 

xxxv.  Levi  Herzfeld, 133 

xxxvi.  Israel  Hildesheimer,       .         .         .         135 

xxxvil  Samson  Raphael  Hirsch,      .         .         .138 

xxxviii.  Solomon  Hirschel,  .         .         .         .         142 

xxxix.  Samuel  Holdheim,        .         .         .  145 

xl.  Rebekah  Hyneman,  .         .         .         .         149 

xli.  Samuel  Myer  Isaacs,    .         .         .         .153 

xlii.  Adolph  Jellinek,  .         .         .         .157 

xliii.  George  Jessel,      .  .         .         .         .160 

xliv.  Joseph  Joachim,  .         .         .         .         163 

xlv.  Michael  Josephs,  .         .         .         .165 

xlvi.  Isaac  Marcus  Jost,  .         .         .         .         167 

xlvii.  Marcus  M.  Kalisch 170 

xlviii.  Moses  Kayserling,    .         .         .         .         173 
xlix.  Minna  Kleeberg,  .         ;         .         .176 


CONTENTS.  VII 


L,  Nachman  Krochmal,        .         .         .         1 80 

li.  Edward  Lasker,  .        ..         .         .184 

186 

.  192 

195 

.  20t 
205 

.  208 
211 

.  218 
221 


lii.  Emma  Lazarus, 
liii.  Moritz  Lazarus,, 
liv.  Isaac  Leeser,  . 

lv.  Maximilian  Letteris, 
lvi.  Uriah  Phillips  Levy, 
lvii.  Louis  Loewe, 
lviii.  Samuel  David  Luzzatto, 
lix.  Philoxene  Luzzatto,  . 

lx.  Robert  Lyon, 


lxi.  David  Woolf  Marks,  .         .         .223 

Lxii.  Isaac  Pesaro  Maurogonato,    .         .  228 

lxiii.  Raphael  Meldola,      ....  230 

lxiv.  Giacomo  Meyerbeer,        .         .         .  233 

lxv.  Moses  Montefiore,     ....  236 

lxvi.  Judith  Montefiore,         .         .         .  240 

lxvii.  Ignaz  Moscheles,        ....  243 

lxviii.  Salomon  Hermann  Mosenthal,       .  245 

lxix.  Salomon  Munk, 247 

lxx.  Selig  Newman,        .         .         .         .         252 
lxxi.  Mordecai  Manuel  Noah,    .         .         -255 

lxxii.  Jacques  Offenbach,         .  '      .         .         258 
lxxiii.  Jules  Oppert, 261 

lxxiv.  Daniel  Levy  Maduro  Peixotto,      .         265 

lxxv.  Benjamin  Franklin  Peixotto,     .         .     267 

lxxvi,  Emile  Pereire,         .         .         .         .'271 

lxxvii.  Ludwig  Philippson,     ....     273 


VIII  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

lxxviii.  Benjamin  Samuel  Phillips,      .         .         277 

LXXIX.    SlMCHA  PlNSKER,  .  .  .  .       279 

lxxx.  Elisabeth  Rachel  (Felix),      .      • . .  285 
lxxxi.  Morris  Jacob  Raphall,       .         .         .287 
Lxxxii.  Salomon  Loew  Rapoport,       .         .  291 
lxxxiii.  Isaac  Samuel  Reggio,          .         .         .  296 
lxxxiv.  Robert  Remak,       .         .         '.         .  301 
lxxxv.  Gabriel  Riesser,         ....  303 
lxxxvi.  Rothschild  (Meyer  Anselm,  Nathan 
Meyer,   Lionel   Nathan,  and   An- 
thony),        .         ....  308 

lxxxvii.  Michael  Sachs,  .       •'••"'•  •         •     3 1 5 

lxxxviii.  David  Salomons,     .         .  ,.         .         318 

lxxxix.  Joseph  Salvador,       ...         .  .         .321 

xc.  Flaminio  Servi,       .         .  .         .         325 

xci.  Moritz  Steinschneider,      .  .         .328 

xcii.  Heymann  Steinthal,        .  .         -333 

xciii.  Judah  Touro, 335 

xciv.  Emanuel  Veneziani,         .         .         .         339 

xcv.  Gustav  Weil,      .         .         .         .         .     342 

xcvi.  Naphtali  Hartwig  Wessely,  .         .         344 

xcvii.  Isaac  Mayer  Wise,     ....     349 

xcviii.  Simon  Wolf,  .         ,         .         .         .         354 

xcix.  Henry  de  Worms,       .         .         .         -3*57 

c.  Leopold  Zunz,         .         . .       .         .         360 

Index, 367 


I 


MINENT    ISRAELITES 


OF  THE 


NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 


NATHAN    MARCUS    ADLER. 

The  lamented  Dr.  Hirschel  could  not  have  had 
a  more  worthy  successor  to  the  dignity  of  the 
Rabbinate  than  Dr.  Nathan  Marcus  Adler.  An  un- 
interrupted period  of  thirty-five  years  has  demon- 
strated to  the  British  Jews  of  the  Ashkenaz  ritual 
the  character  and  scholarship  united  in  their  eccle_ 
siastical  chief.  Those  who  pressed  his  selection 
have  not  been  balked  in  their  expectations.  The 
man  of  their  choice,  grown  old  in  the  execution 
of  sacred  duties,  still  enjoys  the  confidence  and  ap- 
preciation of  an    entire  community. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Nathan  Marcus  Adler  was  born  at 
Hanover,  Germany,  in  1803.  He  received  his  theo- 
logical education  at  the  Universities  of  Gbttingen 
Erlangen,  and  Wurzburg,  respectively.  Before  ar- 
riving at  manhood,  he  displayed  abilities  peculiarly 
adapted  to  the  discharge  of  Rabbinical  functions. 


>  ■>  >  > 

1  ■>  i ,  > 


r  I  r 
•  r  r 
t       «     c. 


IO  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

In  1829  Dr.  Adler  was  appointed  Chief  Rabbi 
of  Oldenburg,  and  so  satisfactorily  did  he  meet  his 
official  requirements  that,  in  1830,  his  jurisdiction 
was  transferred  to  Hanover,  and  all  its  provinces. 
Dr.  Adler,  in  ministering  to  his  flock,  used  his 
talents  and  efforts  to  improve  their  religious  state, 
urging  upon  all  a  strict  adherence  to  the  doctrines 
and  precepts  of  Judaism.  His  fame  travelled  far 
beyond  the  Rhine,  and  reached  England  just  when 
its  Hebrew  population  stood  in  great  need  of  a 
spiritual  leader. 

In  1844  an  election  took  place  for  Chief  Rabbi 
of  the  German  Congregations.  Other  eminent  scho- 
lars were  among  the  candidates  for  the  position ; 
but  Dr.  Adler  secured  the  majority  of  votes.  He 
was  inducted    into    office    on  July    9th,   1845. 

Until  very  recently,  the  Rabbi  has  given  unre- 
mitting attention  to  the  demands  of  his  station. 
He  has  preached  in  the  principal  Synagogue,  and  in 
the  various  houses  of  worship  subject  to  his  au- 
thority ;  has  presided  at  the  sittings  of  the  Beth 
Ha- Midr ash  1  and  at  meetings  for  religious  pur- 
poses. 

When,  a  few  months  ago,  the  Doctor  desired  to 
be  relieved  of  active  duties,  by  reason  of  advanced 
age,  a  very  efficient  assistant  was  already  at  hand 
in  his  son,  Dr.  Hermann  Adler.  This  gentleman, 
who    reckons    among     his    teachers    the    renowned 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  II 

Rapoport,  and  who,  since  1864,  has  been  minister- 
ially connected  with  the  Bayswater  Synagogue,  is 
favorably  known  for  some  learned  writings.  A 
spirited  reply  to  Prof.  Goldwin  Smith's  charge  that 
Jews  cannot  be  patriots,  has  specially  commended 
the  author  to  his  brethren,  and  has  given  his  essay 
a  wide  circulation  in  Europe  and  America. 

It  is  fortunate  that  one  so  gifted,  and  so  zealous 
for  the  honor  of  his  people,  should  be  chosen  as  aid 
to  the  Chief  Rabbi.  Still  the  opinions  and  decisions 
of  Dr.  Nathan  Marcus  Adler  will  continue  to  be 
asked,  and  they  will  be  deemed  authoritative.  No 
act  of  which  he  disapproves  will  receive  strength 
and  validity. 

Onerous  occupations  have  not  prevented  the 
Chief  Rabbi  from  penning  excellent  literary  produc- 
tions. In  addition  to  "  Sermons  on  the  Jewish 
Faith,"  he  has  written  several  works  in  Hebrew, 
the  principal  of  which  is  Nethina  La-Ger,  a  com- 
mentary on  the  Targum  of  Onkelos,  unfolding  new 
ideas  on  the  history  of  that  famous  Aramaic  ver- 
sion of  the  Pentateuch. 

Now  that  his  mind  is  at  rest  from  the  constant 
pressure  of  ecclesiastical  obligations,  the  venerable 
scholar  may  devote  his  leisure  hours  to  pursuits 
which  will  prove  acquisitions  to  Jewish  literature,  and 
shed  further  lustre  on  his  name. 


12  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 


GRACE   AGUILAR. 


What  is  known  needs  no  introduction.  English- 
speaking  Israelites  must  be  acquainted  with  a 
writer  who,  from  the  very  days  of  childhood,  made 
time  subservient  to  the  cause  of  Judaism.  The  tal- 
ented authoress,  whose  life — of  too  short  duration- — 
we  are  about  to  sketch,  has  built  for  herself  a  monu- 
ment which  all  see,  and  ages  will    not  destroy. 

Grace  Aguilar  was  born  at  Hackney,  England, 
June  2d,  1816.  She  was  the  only  daughter  of 
Emanuel  Aguilar,  a  descendant  of  a  family  of  Jew- 
ish merchants  who  fled  from  Spain,  on  account  of 
religious  persecution,  and  found  a  refuge  in  Eng- 
land. 

From  her  birth,. Grace  never  enjoyed  good  health, 
a  circumstance  in  direct  contrast  to  the  strength 
of  her  mind.  She  received  instruction  at  home, 
and  early  exhibited  a  fondness  for  reading.  The 
attention  she  devoted  to  her  books  was  something 
extraordinary  in  a  child.  When  only  seven,  she 
began    to    keep   a    diary. 

The  first  composition  from  her  pen,  was  a  short 
drama,  "  Gustavus  Vasa,"  written  at  the  age  of 
twelve  years,  but  not  published.  This  was  soon  fol- 
lowed by  "  The  Magic  Wreath,"  a  collection  of 
poems,  issued  anonymously.  A  profound  student  of 
the   faith    in   which    she  had  been  born,  and  an  ar- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 3 

dent  admirer  of  its  principles,  for  which  many  had 
rushed  exultingly  to  death,  Miss  Aguilar  produced 
"  The  Vale  of  Cedars,  or  The  Martyr,"  a  romance 
of  the  Jews  in  Spain,  and  which  some  consider  her 
best  work.  "  The  Spirit  of  Judaism,"  a  volume  in- 
tensely religious,  and  "  Israel  Defended,"  the  latter 
being  a  translation  from  the  French,  appeared  sub- 
sequently. Then  came  "  The  Days  of  Bruce,"  a 
story  from  Scottish  history,  in  two  volumes;  "Jew- 
ish Faith,"  in  which  the  moral  beauties  of  Judaism 
are  clearly  set  forth ;  "  Women  of  Israel,"  an  elab- 
orate description  of  celebrated  daughters  of  our 
race,  in  two  volumes ;  "  Home  Scenes  and  Heart 
Studies  "  ;  "  Home  Influence  "  ;  "  Josephine,  or  The 
Edict  and  Escape";  "  The  Mother's  Recompense"; 
"  Woman's  Friendship  "  ;  and  a  short  "  History  of 
the  Jews  in  England."  Miss  Aguilar's  works  have 
been  extensively  read  and  admired,  and  of  the 
many  favorable  criticisms  'we  quote  the  follow- 
ing :  "  Grace  Aguilar  knew  the  female  heart  better 
than  any  writer  of  our  day,  and  in  every  fiction 
from  her  pen  we  trace  the  same  masterly  analy- 
sis and  development  of  the  motives  and  feelings 
of  woman's  nature."  This  is  the  opinion  of  a  non- 
Israelite. 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  of  interest  to  review  at 
length  some  of  the  most  important  writings  which 
won    the    subject  of   our   sketch    renown ;  but  when 


14  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

abler  persons  have  frequently  commented  thereon, 
we  must  remain  silent.  We  could  not  add  a  tittle 
to  what  is  so  truthfully  uttered  by  an  author:  "The 
ambition  of  Grace  Aguilar  was  neither  for  wealth, 
reputation,  nor  distinction.  The  pure  consciousness 
of  raising  the  literary  and  religious  character  of  the 
Jewish  race,  and  of  her  own  sex  in  particular,  was 
at  the  same  time  her  guiding  motive  and  her  re- 
ward." 

Miss  Aguilar  was  a  lover  of  music,  and  she  be- 
came a  skilful  performer  on  the  piano  and  harp.  Her 
singing  was  also  admired. 

Family  troubles  soon  told  upon  the  delicate  frame. 
In  1835  ner  father,  who  had  long  been  in  failing 
health,  breathed  his  last.  Two  brothers,  tenderly 
endeared  to  her,  were  obliged  to  leave  home,  on  ac- 
count of  their  professions.  The  duty  now  devolved 
upon  the  single  daughter,  to  minister  to  the  com- 
fort of  her  widowed  mother,  who  had  also  been  an 
invalid.  This,  together  with  the  continued  severe 
strain  on  her  mental  powers,  broke  down  the  al- 
ready impaired  constitution.  She  was  advised  by 
her  physician  to  try  the  baths  and  mineral  waters 
at  Schwalbach,  whither  she  repaired,  but  without 
success.  After  a  prostrating  illness  of  three  weeks' 
duration,  she  expired  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  on 
the  1 6th  of  September,  1847,  when  only  thirty-one 
years  of  age.     Her  dying  words  were,  "  Though  He 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  5 

slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him,"  plainly  showing 
the  deep  religious  feeling  that  always  pervaded  her 
heart  and  occupied  her  thoughts,  even  unto  the  end. 
She  was  interred  in  the  Jewish  cemetery  at  Frank- 
fort. 

The  mother  of  Grace,  Mrs.  Sarah  Aguilar,  has 
written  a  memoir  of  her  daughter's  life,  and  prefaces 
to  several  of  her  works.  She  was  instrumental  in 
bringing  the  productions  of  her  child  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  American  public. 

All,  regardless  of  creed,  join  in  the  encomiums 
bestowed  upon  one  of  the  noblest  women  in  Israel ; 
a  steadfast  and  effective  laborer  in  the  cause  of 
education  and  progress. 


BENJAMIN  ARTOM. 

By  the  side  of  Nieto  and  Meldola,  Chief  Rabbis  of 
the  Portuguese-Jewish  community  of  Great  Britain, 
may  be  placed  Artom,  their  countryman  and  succes- 
sor. Possibly,  he  may  not  have  rivalled  the  first- 
named,  in  vastness  of  erudition,  nor  the  second,  in  the 
knowledge  of  Talmudical  and  casuistical  writers.  But 
he  surpassed  both  in  one  of  the  elements,  considered, 
at  the  present  time,  most  essential  in  the  fulfilment  of 
Rabbinical  duties  —  preaching.  Dr.  Artom's  ser- 
mons, marked  by  an  unusual  flow  of  eloquence,  were 
delivered    in  a   language    which  affords    wide    scope 


1 6  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

for  oratorical  powers — English.  In  the  pulpit  he 
showed  the  strength  of  his  character,  and  the  earn- 
estness with  which  he  meant  to  elevate  Israel. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Benjamin  Artom  was  born  at 
Asti,  in  Piedmont,  Italy,  in  1834.  A  relationship 
with  Chevalier  Isaac  Artom — Private  Secretary  of 
the  renowned  statesman,  Count  Cavour,  and  Sena- 
tor of  Italy — has  been  claimed  for  the  subject  of 
our  sketch.  Having  been  left  fatherless  when  a 
.child,  his  maternal  uncle  supervised  his  training.  A 
theological  education  was  given  him  by  Rabbi  Mark 
Tedeschi.  On  completing  his  course  of  studies  un- 
der that  preceptor,  he  was  awarded  a  diploma  at- 
testing his  signal  proficiency. 

For  a  while,  Dr.  Artom  officiated  as  minister  of 
the  congregation  at  Saluzzo.  He  then  betook  him- 
self to  Naples,  and  became  the  Rabbi  of  that  city. 
In  this'  capacity,  his  stirring  addresses  forcibly  im- 
pressed his  auditors. 

It  so  happened  that  Miss  Anna  Maria  Goldsmid, 
the  well-known  writer,  while  travelling  through  the 
peninsula,  stopped  at  Naples.  She  had  occasion  to 
hear  Dr.  Artom  lecture,  and  was  so  much  delighted 
that  she  sought  a  personal  introduction.  On  her 
return  to  London,  Miss  Goldsmid  spoke  of  the 
learned  Doctor  in  high  terms.  The  well-bestowed 
encomium  soon  took  a  practical  shape.  Dr.  Artom, 
who,  in   1866,  had   journeyed  from  Italy    to  France 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  \*J 

was,  on  his  arrival  in  Paris,  apprised  of  the  favora- 
ble reception  he  would  likely  meet  in  London.  He 
proceeded  thereto,  and,  by  invitation,  preached  in 
the  metropolis.  Shortly  after,  he  was  chosen  Ha- 
ham  of  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  Congregations 
of  the  United  Kingdom,  for  life.  This  honorable 
post  had  been  vacant  since  the  death  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Raphael  Meldola  in  1828;  questions  on  Jewish 
law  being  decided  by  an  Ecclesiastical  Board.  Dr. 
Artom  formally  assumed  his  office  on  the  1 6th  of 
December,-  1866.  He  married  a  lady  of  the  family 
of  Sir  Albert  Sassoon,  the  merchant-prince  of  Bom- 
bay, Hindostan. 

When  first  elected,  the  Rabbi  could  not  venture 
to  address  his  flock  in  English,  and  his  discourses 
were,  therefore,  delivered  in  French.  But  in  one 
year  he  mastered  the#  vernacular,  and  then  poured 
forth  that  impassioned  eloquence  which  kindled 
every  feature  of  the  preacher's  splendid  physique. 
Dr.  Artom  introduced  wholesome  reforms  in  the 
schools  of  his  community,  and  abolished  several  un- 
necessary offices  in  the  Synagogue.  In  principles, 
the  Doctor,  though  liberal,  was  strictly  Orthodox. 
Through  his  instrumentality,  the  barrier  that  had 
long  separated  the  Portuguese  and  German  Jews, 
received  its  strongest  blow.  Dr.  Artom  enjoyed  the 
friendship  of  both  the  Rev.  Dr.  N.  M.  Adler,  Chief 
Rabbi  of  the  Ashkenazim,  and  the  Rev.  Prof.  D.  W. 
Marks,  head  of  the  Reform  Israelites  of  England. 


1 8  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Some  of  the  Hahatrts  sermons  were  published 
at  the  request  of  his  congregation.  The  Rabbi 
wrote  a  number  of  prayers  in  Hebrew,  sundry  pieces 
of  poetry  in  Italian,  and  contributed  to  different 
journals  of  the  Continent. 

The  esteem  which  Dr.  Artom  secured,  he  was 
not  permitted  many  years  to  experience  in  this 
nether  world,  though  his  healthy  appearance  seemed 
to  indicate  a  long  and  useful  career.  While  at 
Brighton,  England,  he  was  seized  with  a  fatal  dis- 
ease, that  brought  a  sudden  termination  to  his  ex- 
istence, on  January  6th,  1879,  when  only  forty- 
five  years  of  age.  His  remains  were  brought  to 
London,  and  interred  in  the  Mile  End  Cemetery, 
amidst  the  lamentations  of  those  who  had  benefited 
by  his  ministrations,  and  evidences  of  the  sorrow  of 
the  entire  population  of  British  Jews. 

BERTHOLD  AUERBACH. 

Tales,  full  of  extravagance,  untrue  to  nature  and 
offensive  to  good  taste,  are  warping  the  minds  of  the 
young.  The  need  of  descriptions,  borrowed  from  liv- 
ing surroundings,  and  imparting  freshness  and  elas- 
ticity to  the  developing  intellect,  is  universally  felt. 
Berthold  Auerbach  has  understood  this,  and  has 
achieved  great  ends,  alike  as  a  novelist  and  miscel- 
laneous writer. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 9 

Berthold  Auerbach  was  born  at  Nordstetten,  in 
the  Black  Forest  of  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  Febru- 
ary 28th,  1812.  Evincing  a  preference  for  Jewish 
theology,  he  was  sent  to  Hechingen,  and  afterwards 
to  Carlsruhe,  where  he  actively  pursued  his  studies. 
In  1832  he  completed  his  course  at  the  Gymna- 
sium of  Stuttgardt.  From  that  year  until  1835,  he- 
attended  the  universities  at  Tubingen,  Munich  and 
Heidelberg.  Shortly  after,  he  abandoned  Jewish  the- 
ology, and  sedulously  applied  himself  to  philosophy, 
history  and  literature. 

His  first  work,  "  The  Jewish  Nation,  and  Its  Re- 
cent Literature,"  appeared  in  1836.  It  was  followed 
the  next  year  by  a  novel,  "  Poet  and  Merchant." 
Mr.  Auerbach's  sincere  attachment  to  the  doctrines 
of  Spinoza,  led  him  to  publish  a  work  on  that  phil- 
osopher's system  in  1839,  and  a  biography  of  the 
same  author  in  1841,  accompanied  by  a  translation 
of  his  complete  writings.  But  Mr.  Auerbach  ob- 
tained great  popularity  in  1842  and  1843,  when  he 
issued  "  Educated  Citizens ;  a  Book  for  the  Thinking 
Middle  Classes,"  and  "  Village  Tales  from  the  Black 
Forest."  Both  of  these  productions  were  read  with 
avidity,  and  were  rendered  into  the  English,  Dutch 
and  Swedish  languages.  One  of  his  most  finished 
poems,  inserted  in  a  novel  entitled  "  The  Professor's 
Wife,"  and  brought  forth  in  1848,  was  subsequently 
dramatized.     In   1845-6,  he   prepared  and    published 


20  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

an  almanac,  entitled  "  The  Godfather,"  after  the  style 
of  Dr.  Franklin's  "  Poor  Richard's  Almanac,"  which 
was  perused  by  all  classes. 

Mr.  Auerbach  has  proved  his  strenuous  advocacy 
of  popular  education  in  his  many  writings.  Seve- 
ral novels  and  other  compositions  have  emanated 
from  his  pen  within  the  last  decade.  Notably,  "  The 
Villa  on  the  Rhine,"  in  three  volumes,  1869,  which 
met  with  extraordinary  success,  and  was  translated 
into  English;  "Ours  Again,"  in  1 87 1,  affording  a 
full  account  of  the  current  opinions  and  different  cir- 
cumstances that  marked  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  then  pending  between  France  and  Germany; 
"The  Good  Hour,  or  Evening  Holiday;"  "On  the 
Heights;"  and  "  Waldfried."  The  two  last  mentioned 
have  been  offered  in  an  English  garb,  by  Simon  A. 
Stern,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia.  A  new  edition  of  Mr. 
Auerbach's  complete  works  was  published  at  Stutt- 
gardt  in  1 87 1. 

Of  the  notabilities  whose  intimate  acquaintance 
Mr.  Auerbach  formed,  may  be  named  the  late  United 
States  Minister  to  Germany,  the  Hon.  Bayard  Taylor, 
who  won  for  himself  an  immortal  name,  by  his 
scholarly  attainments  and  multifarious  literary  labors. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  selected  to  de- 
liver an  oration  at  the  grave  of  the  lamented  Ameri- 
can, as  the  exponent  of  the  deep  grief,  which  the 
people  of  Germany  felt  at  the  demise  of  one  whom 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  21 

they  had  every  reason  to  respect  and  love.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  tribute  was  worthy  of  the 
melancholy,  but  soul-stirring  event. 

Mr.  Auerbach  continues  to  enrich  the  literature 
of  our  day  with  important  contributions,  in  the  shape 
of  new  and  interesting  books  which  are  always  ap- 
preciated, and  which  tend '  to  elevate  their  author  in 
the  opinion  of  the  world. 

LUDWIG    BAMBERGER. 

A  reaction,  strange  and  unaccountable,  has  taken 
place  in  lately  liberalized  Germany.  The  indomit- 
able Chancellor,  who  planned  the  greatness  of  the 
Empire,  knits  his  brows  at  any  opposition.  Jews, 
loyal  to  the  Vaterland,  mostly  side  with  the 
Liberals.  They  approve  of  consolidation,  but  pro- 
test against  centralization  of  power,  and  that,  under 
the  lead  of  a  man  elated  by  success.  Hence,  per- 
sons who  made  the  walls  of  Parliament  ring  with 
their  voices  raised  in  the  defence  of  the  people, 
were  left  out  at  the  last  election.  Bamberger  was 
justly  considered,  next  to  Lasker,  the  most  dis- 
tinguished Jewish  member  of  the  Reichstag.  The 
influence  he  wielded  was  brought  to  bear  on  all 
important  questions. 

Dr.  Ludwig  Bamberger  was  born  at  Mayence, 
Hesse-Darmstadt,   July    22d,    1823.      He    studied   in 


22  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

turn  at  Giessen,  Heidelberg  and  Gottingen,  and 
passed  an  examination  in  law  at  Mayence,  where 
he  took  his  last  degree.  The  revolutionary  move- 
ment of  1848,  found  in  the  patriotic  Israelite  an 
active  participant.  He  gave  assistance,  besides,  to 
those  who  were  struggling  for  their  rights,  in  Bava- 
ria and  in  Baden.  An  attempt  to  coerce  the  au- 
thorities by  force  of  arms  into  more  lenient  mea- 
sures failed,  and  Dr.  Bamberger  was  obliged  to  flee 
from  the  country.  He  travelled  through  Switzer- 
land, England,  Belgium  and  Holland.  In  1853  he 
settled  at  Paris,  and  there  became  the  manager  of 
a  banking-house. 

Upon  the  establishment  of  the  North-German 
Confederation,  a  political  amnesty  was  proclaimed, 
which  enabled  Dr.  Bamberger  to  return  home. 
During  his  stay  in  foreign  lands,  the  ideas  he  cher- 
ished had  not  altered.  Fully  aware  of  the  necessity 
of  an  improved  form  of  government,  he  at  once 
decided  to  devote  his  abilities  to  securing  a  change 
for  the  better.  His  voice  and  pen  soon  told  how 
staunch  was  his  adherence  to  the  cause  espoused. 
Dr.  Bamberger  was  chosen,  in  1868,  to  represent 
Mayence,  his  birth-place,  in  the  Customs  Parliament, 
and,  in   1 87 1,  Deputy  to  the  German  Reichstag. 

Like  his  friend,  Lasker,  Dr.  Bamberger  at  first 
supported  Prince  Bismarck's  policy.  But  his  liberal 
views  prompted  him,  of  late,  to  act  in  opposition  to 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2  J 

the  Prime  Minister,  who  endeavored  to  obtain  the 
enforcement  of  acts  hostile  to  freedom.  To  this  is 
doubtless  due  the  defeat  he  met  at  the  Parliamen- 
tary election  of  1879. 

Dr.  Bamberger's  immense  practical  knowledge  of 
economical  affairs,  gives  his  opinions  a  weight  which 
does  not  at  all  depend  upon  the  occupancy  of  a 
seat  in  the  legislative  hall.  The  Doctor  is  a  polished 
speaker,  endowed  by  nature  with  remarkable  capa- 
tities. 

Dr.  Bamberger  has  acquired  considerable  of  his 
fame  as  a  journalist  and  political  writer.  In  addi- 
tion to  articles  inserted  in  various  periodicals,  he 
has  published  pamphlets  on  "The  Labor  Ques- 
tion," "  The  Bank  and  Coinage  Question,"  and  other 
subjects,  evincing  in  all  a  thorough  understanding  of 
European  politics,  and  the  tact  of  a  consistent  re- 
former. 

ELIAS  BENAMOZEGH. 

The  Rabbinical  profession  in  Italy  is  still  repre- 
sented by  men  who  wield  the  pen  with  readiness 
and  classical  ability.  In  many  instances,  the  pres- 
sure of  official  duties  prevents  a  disclosure  of  that 
fact.  But,  not  unfrequently,  learned  volumes  prove 
that  the  country  which  gave  birth  to  an  Azariah 
De  Rossi,  is  not  destitute  of  men  who  have  inherited 
his  versatility.     To    cite  a    few  cases  in  point,  when 


24  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

a  large  number  rises  before  the  mind,  might  seem 
invidious.  Yet,  it  may  be  said,  without  the  least 
reflection  on  others,  that  Mortara  of  Mantua,  Levi 
of  Ferrara,  Tedeschi  of  Trieste,  Lattes  of  Venice, 
and  Benamozegh  of  Leghorn,  are  Rabbis  who  have 
found  time  to  contribute  to  the  advancement  of  sa- 
cred literature.  It  is  of  the  last-named,  however, 
that  we  purpose  presenting  some  special  character- 
istics. His  wonderful  activity  has  secured  to  him  a 
degree  of  prominence,  which  is  not  given  to  all  to 
attain. 

Rabbi  Prof.  Elias  Benamozegh,  Chevalier  of  the 
Crown  of  Italy,  was  born  at  Leghorn,  in  1822. 
His  parents  had  emigrated  from  Fez,  Morocco, 
once  so  famous  as  the  native  place  of  grammarians 
and  theologians.  Basnage,  in  his  Histoire  des  Juifs, 
makes  mention  of  a  certain  Joshua  Benamozegh  who 
was  promoted  to  a  high  rank  by  the  Emperor  of 
Morocco. 

Elias  had  the  misfortune  of  losing  his  father 
when  only  four  years  old.  But  that  lamentable  cir- 
cumstance did.  not  involve  the  consequences  often 
attending  it.  Under  the  tuition  of  his  maternal 
uncle,  Rabbi  M.  H.  Curiat,  the  lad  received  He- 
brew instruction  of  a  peculiar  nature.  Cabbalism 
formed  an  element  which  arrested  the  thought  of 
the  young  student.  It  gave  a  bent  to  his  intellect, 
that  a  perusal  of  any  of  his  multifarious  productions 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  25 

cannot  fail  to  show.  When  but  a  child,  he  would 
intelligently  and  fluently  recite  whole  pages  of  the 
Zohur.  His  precocity  became  the  subject  of  remark 
among  the  Jewish  inhabitants  of  Leghorn,  and  some 
of  the  most  literary  sought  his  company.  For  the 
youth  employed  modern  languages  and  general  lit- 
erature, as  aids  to  his  knowledge  of  Biblical  and 
Rabbinical  writings. 

A  desire  to  obtain  a  lucrative  position  led  Ben- 
amozegh  to  a  counting-house,  where  he  remained 
for'  several  years;  but,  clearly,  commerce  was  not 
his  mission.  He  relinquished  it,  to  devote  himself  to 
the  career  in  which  he  has  gained  celebrity.  At 
the  examination  for  the  title  of  Maskil,  preparatory 
to  that  of  Rabbi,  he  acquitted  himself  in  a  man- 
ner that  impressed  the  community  most  favorably. 
He  afterward  frequented  the  Franco  institution, 
where  men  of  learning  daily  congregated  to  cultivate 
the  knowledge  of  the  Talmud,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  pursued  by  himself  secular  studies. 

A  Rabbi  and  an  author,  a  philosopher  and  a 
publisher,  the  name  of  Elias  Benamozegh  has  spread 
far  and  wide.  But  the  feature  which  distinguishes 
him  from  his  contemporaries,  is  the  blending  of 
Cabbalism,  or  as  he  terms  it  "  Theosophy,"  with  the 
dogmas,  traditions,  tenets  and  observances  of  Juda- 
ism. According  to  the  views  he  entertains  and 
expounds,  what   the    supposititious   work   of  Simeon 


26  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Ben  Jochai,  and  the  writings  of  the  men  of  the 
school  of  Luria  have  imparted,  form  an  essential  in 
the  Mosaic  faith,  deprived  of  which  it  cannot  stand. 
There  was  a  time  in  the  life  of  the  Leghorn  Rabbi, 
when  he  felt  disposed  to  cast  aside  this  speculative 
science,  on  which  the  illustrious  Prof.  Adolphe  Franck 
has  built  his  theories.  But  it  was  a  period  of  transi- 
tion that  gave  away  before  a  never-flagging  advocacy 
of  his  Theosophy.  The  sacred  books  of  the  Orient, 
the  Hellenistic  Gnosticism,  the  emanations  of  Philo, 
and  transcendental  philosophy,  exercised  a  mighty 
influence,  and  developed  the  Titan  who  fights  the 
battles  of  Cabbalism,  almost  single-handed.  He- 
brew, French  and  Italian  he  makes  subservient  to 
his  designs,  and  his  language  is  terse  and  in- 
cisive. 

Though  an  officiating  Rabbi  in  the  city  of  his 
birth,  and  Professor  at  the  High  School  of  Theolo- 
gy, Benamozegh  does  not  allow  his  engagements  to 
check  the  rapidity  of  his  pen.  He  writes  continu- 
ously, and  contributes  to  a  number  of  journals.  Ol 
his  most  noted  books  are  (in  Hebrew):  Emat  Maf- 
giang,  a  refutation  of  the  anti-Cabbalistic  work  of 
Leon  de  Modena,  entitled  Ari  Nohem  ;  Em  La-mikray 
a  commentary  on  the  Pentateuch,  with  elucidations 
based  on  philosophical,  critical,  archaeological  and 
scientific  researches ;  Tangant  Leschad,  a  dialogue 
on  Cabbalism,  it  being  intended  as  a  reply  to  a  dia- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2*J 

logue  on  the  same  subject  by  Prof.  S.  D.  Luzzatto; 
(in  French) :  Morale  Juive  et  Morale  Chr'etienne, 
which  won  the  prize  offered  by  the  Alliance  Israel- 
ite Universelle ;  and  (in  Italian)  Teologia  Dogmati- 
ca  e  Apologetica,  on  metaphysics,  revealing  a  profound 
acquaintance  with  the  schools  of  Ancient  and  Mod- 
ern Philosophy. 

We  might  continue  at  great  length,  and  name 
pamphlets  and  volumes  that  Rabbi  Benamozegh  has 
brought  forth.  But  what  has  been  said  will  sup- 
port the  assertion,  that  Jewish  science  can  claim 
him  as  an  ardent  and  steadfast  devotee. 


SAMUEL  CAHEN. 

Literature  has  undergone  a  thorough  revolution, 
within  a  comparatively  short  period.  Critical  re- 
searches in  all  branches  of  learning  disclose  this  re- 
markable fact.  Hebrew  lore  has  most  sensibly  felt 
the  effect  of  the  change,  for  never  before  was  it  put 
to  such  a  test.  The  student  will  perceive  that  the 
more  he  reads,  the  more  striking  is  the  diversity  of 
exposition  between  the  commentators  of  the  Mid- 
dle Ages  and  those  of  our  century.  Some  may 
question  the  necessity  of  the  many  explanatory  works, 
especially  on  Holy  Writ,  which  are  constantly  aug- 
menting. But  as  each  author  invariably  presents  new 
features,  the  reason  becomes  obvious.     That  Samuel 


28  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Cahen  was  a  Hebraist  of  no  mean  calibre,  as  well  as 
a  journalist  of  great  powers,  the  subjoined  will  show. 

Samuel  Cahen  was  born  at  Metz,  France,  August 
4th,  1796.  He  spent  his  youth  in  Mayence,  Hesse- 
Darmstadt,  being  destined  to  pursue  a  course  of 
Rabbinical  studies.  His  eagerness  for  knowledge  was 
soon  observed.  He  devoted  much  attention  to  mod- 
ern languages  and  literature,  and  his  excellent  ac- 
quaintance therewith  evidenced  a  steadiness  of  pur- 
pose in  cultivating  innate  faculties. 

After  completing  his  education,  Cahen  was  en- 
gaged as  a  private  tutor  in  Germany.  In  1822  he 
went  to  Paris,  and  assumed  the  directorship  of  the 
Jewish  consistorial  school  of  that  city,  holding  the 
position  for  a  number  of  years.  Identified  altogether 
with  Jewish  matters,  he  deemed  it  of  special  import- 
ance for  his  fellow-believers  in  France  to  have  an 
organ  to  represent  their  views,  and  also  to  give  pub- 
licity to  the  numerous  works  that  gradually  swell 
the  size  of  Hebrew  literature.  Impressed  with  that 
opinion,  M.  Cahen  brought  out,  in  1840,  his  fortnight- 
ly periodical,  known  throughout  Europe  as  the  Arch- 
ives Israelites.  As  its  editor  he  gained  a  wide-spread 
reputation,  and  the  magazine,  so  ably  directed,  took  a 
prominent  station  among  Jewish  publications.  Teem- 
ing with  instructive  articles,  it  also  contained  light 
compositions  pleasing  to  the  generality  of  readers. 
The  circulation  increased,  and  to  this  day  the  peri- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  29 

odical  flourishes  and  retains  its  influence  under  M, 
Isidore  Cahen,  son  of  its  founder.  The  Archives  has 
warmly  espoused  the  objects  of  that  noble  organiza- 
tion, the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  and  has  boldly- 
spoken  in  behalf  of  oppressed  Hebrews  in  the  East. 

In  addition  to  lectures,  and  various  writings  on 
the  Hebrew  language  and  history,  M.  Cahen  issued 
several  works.  A  translation  of  the  Bible  into  French, 
with  the  Hebrew  on  opposite  pages,  and  critical  notes 
and  dissertations  by  himself  and  others,  may  be  ac- 
counted his  principal  labor.  The  entire  edition,  con- 
sisting of  eighteen  volumes,  appeared  in  1851.  De- 
spite adverse  criticism,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
undertaking  was  heavy  and  difficult,  and  that  it 
was  performed  with  diligence  and  wisdom. 

M.  Cahen  died  at  Paris,  France,  January  8th,  1862. 
His  chief  literary  product,  of  which  we  have  just 
spoken,  not  less  than  his  journalistic  efforts,  will, 
doubtless,  serve  to  commend  him  to  all  who  can 
rightly  appreciate  the  services,  of  a  well-spent    life. 

JACOB  DA  SILVA  SOLIS  COHEN. 

The  assertion  that  Elisha,  who  cured  the  poison- 
ous taste  of  the  pottage  of  wild  gourds,  and  that 
Isaiah,  who  healed  the  diseased  King  of  Judah  by 
the  application  of  a  fig-plaster,  were  adepts  in  med- 
ical science,  might  sound  extravagant,  if  not  hereti- 
cal.       Not    so    the    statement    that    Jews    have,    in 


30  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

all  ages,  excelled  as  physicians.  Unbiased  historians 
have  set  forth,  as  the  result  of  their  own  investiga- 
tions, a  vast  array  of  men  among  the  descendants  of 
the  Prophets,  who  may  divide  honors  with  Hippo- 
crates. It  may  be  still  further  averred  that,  in  the 
Middle  Ages,  the  lives  of  monarchs  were  entrusted 
into  the  hands  of  those  who  had  first  studied  the 
laws  of  hygiene,  as  recorded  by  Moses.  That  no 
deterioration  on  that  score  can  be  detected,  a 
cursory  glance  at  the  list  of  the  medical  faculty  of 
any  city  will  suffice  to  prove.  Philadelphia  gives 
an  enviable  standing  to  a  practitioner  whose  skill  in 
the  treatment  of  an  important  specialty  is  as  great, 
as  his  adherence  to  the  ancestral  belief  is  unques- 
tioned. 

Jacob  Da  Silva  Solis  Cohen,  M.  D.,  was  born  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  on  the  28th  of  February, 
1838.  His  parents  having  settled  in  Philadelphia,  the 
boy  obtained  preparatory  instruction  in  its  public 
schools.  He  completed  his  studies  at  the  Central 
High  School,  graduating  from  that  institution,  as 
Bachelor  of  Arts,  in  February,  1855.  The  next 
year  the  youth  attended  lectures  at  the  Jefferson 
Medical  College,  and  from  1859-60  at  the  Medical 
Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  received  his  degree  of  M.  D. 

For  a  time,  Dr.  Cohen  resided  in  Memphis,  Ten- 
nessee, and  again  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  New  York. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  3 1 

But  finally,  in  1866,  he  chose  Philadelphia  as  his 
permanent  home,  and  there  he  has  since  steadily 
followed  the  profession  for  which  he  had  been 
designed  by  natural  qualifications. 

Without  abandoning  general  practice,  Dr.  Cohen 
took  up  the  diseases  of  the  throat  and  chest.  He 
attained  so  much  success  in  this  specialty  that  it 
led  to  his  being  selected  as  lecturer  on  laryngo- 
scopy and  diseases  of  the  throat  and  chest,  in  the 
Jefferson  Medical  College,  a  position  he  still  fills 
with  credit.  His  services  in  the  branch  to  which 
he  mostly  devotes  his  attention  are  eagerly  sought 
after,  and  the  opinion  he  expresses  on  matters  ap- 
pertaining thereto  is  regarded  as  an  undisputed  au- 
thority. 

On  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  Dr.  Cohen 
became  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Twenty-sixth 
Pennsylvania  Regiment,  the  first  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  Government.  He  was  subsequently 
appointed  acting  assistant  surgeon  in  the  United 
States  Navy,  and  detailed  to  the  steamer  Florida, 
in  which  vessel  he  accompanied  Commodore  Dn- 
pont's  expedition  to  Port  Royal.  The  Doctor  re- 
mained in  the  South  Atlantic  blockading  squadron 
until  January,  1864,  when  he  resigned.  At  the  re- 
quest of  the  medical  authorities,  he  afterwards 
tended  the  wounded  in  the  army  hospitals  at  Phila- 
delphia. 


32  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Of  the  numerous  organizations  with  which  Dr. 
Cohen  is  connected,  there  may  be  named  the  Phila- 
delphia College  of  Physicians,  to  which  he  is  also 
Mutter  lecturer;  the  Northern  Medical  Association 
of  Philadelphia,  of  which  he  has  been  Vice-Presi- 
dent and  President ;  the  Philadelphia  County  Medi- 
cal Society;  the  Pathological  Society;  the  Pennsyl- 
vania State  Medical  Society ;  the  American  Medical 
Association;  the  Franklin  Institute;  and  the  Phila- 
delphia Academy  of  Natural  Sciences.  He  has  oc- 
cupied a  post  in  the  Philadelphia  Hospital ;  also  on 
the  staff  of  the  Northern  Dispensary,  and  of  the 
Jewish  Hospital,  both  of  Philadelphia.  He  is  now 
attending  physician  to  the  German  Hospital,  and  to 
the  Jefferson  Medical  College  Hospital. 

Dr.  Cohen  has  published  some  valuable  works  on 
medicine,  which  evidence  thorough  searching  and 
abilities  of  a  high  order.  Among  them  are  "A  Trea- 
tise on  Inhalation  ;"  "  Diseases  of  the  Throat,"  a  labor 
which  has  particularly  met  with  universal  approval ; 
"Croup  in  its  Relations  to  Tracheotomy;"  several 
minor  monographs,  and  a  number  of  papers  inserted 
in  leading  medical  journals,  and  Transactions  of  med- 
ical societies.  The  Doctor  has  likewise  done  good 
work  as  one  of  the  translators  of  Ziemssen's  Cyclo- 
paedia. 

The  past,  serving  as  a  criterion,  predicts  a  future 
of  uninterrupted  usefulness. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  33 


ALBERT  COHN. 

Only  three  years  have  passed  away,  since  the  la- 
mented scholar  and  philanthropist,  Albert  Cohn,  was 
laid  to  rest  in  the  silent  grave.  But  though  decades 
may  glide  by,  the  memory  of  the  virtues  which  this 
far-famed  Hebrew  possessed  will  not  be  effaced.  For 
as  numerous  as  the  admirers  of  his  excellencies,  are 
the  evidences  of  his  enlarged  benevolence. 

Albert  Cohn  was  born  at  Presburg,  Hungary,  on 
the  14th  of  September,  1814.  At  the  age  of  twelve 
he  went  to  Vienna,  where,  for  two  years,  he  pur- 
sued his  studies.  The  medical  profession  was  in- 
tended for  his  future  vocation,  but  he  early  showed  a 
decided  aversion  to  it,  and  a  desire  for  philology  and 
philosophy.  He  obtained  instruction  in  theology, 
archaeology,  and  several  Oriental  languages,  and,  with 
but  the  aid  of  a  dictionary,  he  mastered  the  Arabic 
and  Syriac.  Young  Cohn's  talents  attracted  the  no- 
tice of  Prof.  Wernich,  of  the  Protestant  Seminary, 
a  distinguished  Orientalist,  who  took  a  great  in- 
terest in  the  Jewish  youth,  and  often  assisted  him 
with  good  counsel.  At  the  instance  of  the  afore- 
named, Cohn  was  appointed  to  teach  Hebrew  in  the 
Seminary.  He  held  the  position  for  two  years,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  both  pupils  and  professors. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that,  even  at  this  late 


34  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

period,  Jews  were  excluded  from  the  learned  profes- 
sions, in  several  countries  of  Europe.  It  became 
clear  to  Albert  Cohn  that  the  avenues  to  promo- 
tion would  be  closed  against  him,  if  he  remained  in 
Austria,  and  he  was  advised  to  go  to  Paris.  He 
accordingly  left  Vienna  in  June,  1836,  provided  with 
letters  of  recommendation  from  noted  celebrities. 
Reaching  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  he  was  favored  with 
an  introduction  to  the  Rothschilds,  who  treated  him 
very  courteously.  At  Paris,  he  again  applied  him- 
self to  study,  and  spent  much  of  his  time  in  the 
public  libraries.  Before  long,  he  had  become  familiar 
with  the  German,  French,  English,  Spanish,  Italian, 
Hebrew  and  Arabic  languages.  Cohn  studied  Per- 
sian under  the  well-known  scholar,  Sylvestre  de 
Sacy,  and,  whenever  at  leisure,  he  bestowed  his  at- 
tention on  works  of  theology.  Private  tuition  af- 
forded him  the  means  of  support. 

In  1838  the  Rothschilds  invited  Albert  Cohn  to 
accompany  them  on  a  tour  through  Italy.  He  ac- 
cepted the  invitation,  and  visited  several  cities  of 
interest  to  Israelites,  specially  Leghorn,  where  he 
was  presented  with  a  copy  of  a  Samaritan  letter,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Jewish  community  of  that  city.  Pope 
Gregory  XVI.  gave  him  permission  to  etablish  an 
industrial  school  in  Rome.  The  sight  of  the  Ghetto 
— the  place  wherein  Hebrews  were  compelled  to  live 
amid  suffering  and  misery — made  a  painful  and  last- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  35 

ing  impression  upon  M.  Cohn.  Happily,  he  lived  to 
see  that  horrid  quarter  torn  down  by  the  arm  of 
freedom,  and  his  brethren  released  from  the  oppres- 
sion of  ages.  His  knowledge  of  Oriental  languages 
led  the  scholar  frequently  to  confer  with  that  won- 
derful linguist,  Cardinal  Mezzofante.  The  year  1839 
found  M.  Cohn  at  Naples.  From  thence  he  travelled 
through  Switzerland  and  Austria,  visited  Presburg, 
his  native  city,  and  returned  to  Paris,  after  an  absence 
of  twelve  months.  From  that  period  he  remained . 
closely  associated  with  the  Rothschilds,  and  dedicated 
his  life  to  the  service  of  mankind.  At  religious  meet- 
ings he  imparted  instruction  to  the  Jewish  pupils  of 
the  schools.  In  charitable  and  in  educational  socie- 
ties his  influence  was  sensibly  felt.  With  the  name 
of  Rothschild  as  his  standard,  all  obstacles  were  over- 
come. The  mere  mention  of  the  many  organizations 
of  various  natures,  which  M.  Cohn  either  established 
or  gave  his  valuable  aid  to,  would  unduly  extend  the 
limits  of  a  single  sketch.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  all 
had  an  aim  which  emanated  from  the  noblest  source 
of  philanthropy. 

Albert  Cohn  was  looked  upon  as  a  great  bene- 
factor, who  made  learning  and  wealth  the  servants 
of  righteousness.  Chosen  as  orator  on  import- 
ant occasions,  his  ability  as  such  won  him  un- 
stinted praise.  In  Synagogues  and  at  colleges,  his 
eloquence   flowed    naturally,  and   at   the   funerals    of 


36  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

Prof.  Munk,  and  of  the  Barons  Solomon  and  James 
de  Rothschild,  his  remarks  were  reverentially  lis-  . 
tened  to.  As  a  member  of  the  Alliance  Israelite 
Universelle,  he  did  much  to  further  its  progress. 
He  was  one  of  a  deputation  that  waited  upon  the 
Shah  of  Persia,  on  July  12th,  1873,  to  present  to 
his  Majesty  an  appeal  on  behalf  of  the  Jews  of 
Persia.  M.  Cohn  devoted  a  large  portion  of  his 
life  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  his  fellow-believ- 
ers in  the  East.  Acting  conjointly  with  Sir  Moses 
Montefiore,  Sir  Anthony  de  Rothschild,  Dr.  Lud- 
wig  Philippson  and  others,  he  obtained  a  recog- 
nition of  the  rights  of  Israelites  in  Turkey.  His 
efficient  assistance  was  given  towards  bettering  the 
condition  Jof  the  down-trodden  Hebrews  of  Pales- 
tine, and  he  himself  journeyed  to  Jerusalem,  in 
1854,  to  seek  out  the  cause  of  their  distress.  He 
found  the  Jewish  community  there  sadly  in  need 
of  educational  as  well  as  other  institutions,  the  lack 
of  which  had  contributed  to  its  deplorable  state. 
He  set  to  work,  and  before  leaving  the  Holy  Land 
he  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  hospital  erected, 
and  schools  founded.  In  his  projects  he  was, 
of  course,  materially  aided  by  the  Rothschilds, 
through  whom  the  Emperor  of  Austria  lent  his 
royal   influence. 

M.  Cohn's  linguistic  attainments  proved  of  great 
advantage   to   him  in  his   travels,   and    on   his   way 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2>7 

to  and  from  the  East  he  stopped  at  several  cities 
to  ascertain  the  condition  of  Israelitish  inhabitants. 
At  Constantinople,  he  was  successful  in  establishing 
schools  for  Jewish  children.  On  arriving  at  Vienna 
the  Emperor  received  him  with  high  favor,  and 
gave  him  the  assurance  of  his  protection  to  the  He- 
brews of  the  Orient.  He  celebrated  his  return  to 
Paris  by  a  donation  of  sixty  thousand  francs  to  dif- 
ferent institutions  of  benevolence.  Shortly  after  he 
went  to  London,  to  consult  with  the  Chief  Rabbi, 
Dr.  N.  M.  Adler ;  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  Baron  Lionel 
N.  de  Rothschild  and  Sir  David  Salomons,  about 
the  most  advisable  course  to  be  followed  for  the 
elevation  of  Palestinian  Jews. 

In  1856  Albert  Cohn  again  visited  Jerusalem, 
effecting,  as  on  the  former  occasion,  much  good.  In 
many  cities  of  the  East  where  Jews  resided,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  establishing  schools,  and  asylums  for  the 
homeless,  for  the  sick,  and  for  the  poor.  In  i860 
he  exerted  himself  to  allay  the  tribulations  of  per- 
secuted Christians  in  Syria,  for  whom  liberal  sub- 
scriptions were  given  by  Jews.  Hebrews  were  ready 
to  shed  their  blood  for  the  cause  of  religious  tolera- 
tion. M.  Cohn  made  two  more  journeys  to  the  Holy 
Land,  in  1864  and  1869,  and  noted  with  pleasure 
the  advancement  of  his  Eastern  brethren,  chiefly  due 
to  his  personal  endeavors.  The  indefatigable  Hebrew 
never  tired,  and,  availing    himself  of  the   protection 


38  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

of  the  French  Government,  he  improved  the  moral 
status  of  his  co-religionists  in  Algeria,  and  in  other 
portions  of  the  Barbary  States. 

Notwithstanding  these  manifold  labors,  Albert 
Cohn  cultivated  literature  and  science,  and  he  was 
ever  ready  to  pecuniarily  assist  authors,  in  the 
publication  of  useful  works.  He  wrote  learned  ar- 
ticles for  the  Archives  Israelites  and  other  peri- 
odicals, and  brought  forth  his  "  Jewish  Letters," 
descriptive  of  his  travels,  besides  minor  produc- 
tions. He  was  strongly  attached  to  Prof.  Munk, 
and  proved  to  the  latter  a  friend  in  need.  In 
recognition  of  his  unwearied  endeavors,  the  French 
Government,  in  1867,  created  him  a  Chevalier  of 
the  Legion  of  Honor.  His  restless  activity  during 
the  last  Franco-German  war,  and  the  excitement 
of  those  stirring  times,  served  to  weaken  his  con- 
stitution. But  not  until  the  spring  of  1876  did  a 
disease,  that  soon  developed  into  alarming  propor- 
tions, force  him  to  retire  from  customary  pursuits. 
Still  his  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  societies  with 
which  he  had  been  closely  identified,  was  manifested 
to  the  last. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  1877,  when  not  sixty- 
three  years  old,  Albert  Cohn  was  summoned  to 
the  realms  of  bliss,  there  to  receive  an  eternal  re- 
ward. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  39 


ISAAC   ADOLPHE   CREMIEUX. 

The  saying  of  the  Biblical  moralist,  that  "  a  hoary 
head  is  a  crown  of  glory,"  has  been  beautifully  illus- 
trated in  one  whose  personal  history  is  interwoven 
with  the  annals  of  his  country.  That  man,  who 
wore  the  precious  diadem  which  age  put  on,  first 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  to  see  France 
revolutionize  a  political  system,  effete  and  insup- 
portably  burdensome.  Every  breath  he  drew  was 
amidst  surroundings  inspiring  love  of  freedom,  and 
detestation  of  tyranny.  Under  such  influences  the 
child  grew  to  become  what  the  whole  world  knew 
him  to  be — an  honor  to  the  human  race,  the  boast 
of  his  people. 

Isaac  Adolphe  Cremieux  was  born  at  Nimes, 
April  30th,  1796.  He  early  adopted  the  law  as  a 
profession,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1817. 
Eloquence  and  thorough  legal  knowledge  soon 
brought  him  to  public  notice.  He  removed  to 
Paris,  and  there  was  engaged  as  counsel  for  the  de- 
fence in  the  celebrated  case  of  Guernon-Ranville,  a 
minister  of  Charles  X.,  charged  with  having  been 
one  of  the  authors  ot  the  ordinances  issued  in  July, 
1830.  He  afterwards  defended  Raspail,  Marrast,  and 
other   republicans,  prosecuted  by  the  government. 

M.   Cremieux  accompanied  Sir  Moses  Montefiore 


40  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

to  the  East  in  1840,  and  became  instrumental  in 
alleviating  the  sufferings  of  his  brethren.  In  1842 
he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Dep- 
uties, for  the  Left.  He  encouraged  the  Revolution 
of  1848,  and  advised.  Louis  Philippe  to  quit  France. 
Under  the  provisional  government  he  held  the  im- 
portant office  of  Minister  of  Justice,  but  soon  re- 
signed, to  act  as  counsel  for  Louis  Blanc,  in  his  de- 
fence against  the  government. 

While  a  member  of  the  Assembly,  M.  Cremieux 
voted  for  Louis  Napoleon  as  President  of  France. 
Soon,  however,  consistently  with  the  liberal  views  en- 
tertained, he  changed  side,  and  opposed  the  usurp- 
er's policy.  When  Napoleon,  forswearing  himself, 
mounted  the  throne,  Cremieux,  together  with  Thiers 
and  a  host  of  patriots  who  resisted  the  the  out- 
rageous suppression  of  freedom,  was  imprisoned.  But 
the  course  of  events  soon  compelled  the  parvenu  to 
liberate  the  advocates  of  equality. 

M.  Cremieux  continued  antagonistic  to  the  arbi- 
trary measures  of  Napoleon  III.  After  the  sur- 
render of  the  latter  at  Sedan  he  again  became 
Minister  of  Justice,  and  was  subsequently  one  of 
the  members  of  the  delegation  at  Tours  and  Bor- 
deaux. He  resigned  February  10th,  1871.  The 
payment  of  the  war-debt  to  Germany  was  strongly 
urged  by  him,  his  own  donation  to  the  fund  being 
one  hundred   thousand  francs.     The  city  of  Algiers 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  4 1 

recognized  Cremieux's  worth,  by  electing  him  to  the 
National  Assembly  in  1873,  while  the  land  of  his 
birth  titled  him  a  life-Senator. 

The  French  statesman  ever  lent  effective  help 
towards  improving  the  condition  of  his  fellow-believ- 
ers of  the  Orient.  When  the  Alliance  Israelite  Uni- 
verselle  was  organized  he  became  its  President,  and 
filled  the  position  to  the  ever-increasing  success  of 
the  objects  cherished  by  the  association. 

The  International  Jewish  Conference,  convened 
at  Paris  in  June,  1878,  and,  graced  by  leading  men 
in  Israel  from  near  and  far,  exalted  itself  when  it 
placed  the  venerable  Cremieux  in  the  Presidential 
chair.  His  greeting  was  an  outburst  of  fiery  elo- 
quence. It  electrified  the  august  assemblage.  As 
he  depicted  the  unity  of  the  Hebrew  race,  the 
martyrdom  of  the  past,  and  the  glories  of  the  future, 
the  thundering  applause  which  the  words  elicited 
told  of  the  speaker's  powers,  and  of  the  philanthro- 
pist's undying  compassion  for  the  oppressed. 

The  voice  that  moved  multitudes  is  now  hushed 
in  deatk.  On  the  1st  of  February,  1880,  Cremieux 
experienced  a  sorrow,  the  intensity  of  which  may 
have  occasioned  the  loss  that  France  and  Israel 
now  bemoan.  His  consort,  distinguished  for  social, 
not  less  than  for  domestic  virtues,  she  who'  had 
shared  his  toils  and  spurred  him  on  to  deeds  of 
greatness,  passed  away.  On  the  10th  of  February 
Cremieux   was   no   more. 


42  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ARTHUR  LUMLEY  DAVIDS. 

Not  unfrequently  has  the  Jewish  community  been 
called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  faithful  members 
who  devoted  long  and  useful  lives  solely  to  benefit 
their  race.  But  how  much  greater  the  sorrow,  when 
individuals  of  surprising  attainments  are  stricken 
down  in  the  bloom  of  youth. 

Arthur  Lumley  Davids  was  born  in  England,  in 
1811.  Little  is  recorded  of  his  early  days,  save  of 
his  intense  application  to  reading.  He  had  made 
considerable  progress  in  the  study  of  the  law,  but, 
as  he  possessed  a  competence,  he  did  not  adopt  the 
legal  profession. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen,  Davids  began  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  work  of  vast  magnitude,  a  "  Biblical  Ency- 
clopaedia ;"  while,  at  the  same  time,  he  kept  actively 
engaged  in  acquiring  the  knowledge  of  the  Turkish 
and  other  foreign  languages.  Wishing  to  help  a 
movement  for  the  withdrawal  of  Jewish  disabilities, 
he  contributed  several  learned  articles  to  The  Times 
upon  that  subject. 

A  short  time  elapsed  ere  the  Hebrews  of  Great 
Britain  were  made  aware  that  there  existed  in  their 
midst  a  young  man  who  exercised  his  extensive 
abilities  to  elevate  society ;  and  ©avids  at  once  be- 
came the  cynosure  of  all  eyes.  But  marks  of  ap- 
proval for  what  had  been  already  accomplished,  did 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  43 

not  at  all  abate  his  energies.  On  December  23d, 
1830,  when  only  nineteen  years  old,  he  delivered  a 
lecture  on  the  •"  Philosophy  of  the  Jews,"  before 
the  Society  for  the  Cultivation  of  Hebrew  Litera- 
ture. To  say  it  was  a  great  effort,  would  but 
faintly  represent  facts. 

The  fame  of  Davids  soon  spread  abroad,  and 
his  reputation  increased  by  the  appearance  of  A 
Grammar  of  the  Turkish  Language,  with  a  Pre- 
liminary Discourse  o?i  the  Language  and  Literature 
of  the  Turkish  Nation,  etc.  The  London  Literary 
Gazette,  an  acknowledged  authority  in  those  days, 
spoke  of  it  in  the  following  terms  :  "  We  are  in- 
formed that  the  author  of  this  volume  has  not  yet 
completed  his  twenty-first  year ;  and  if  we  were 
disposed  to  think  very  highly  indeed  of  the  learn- 
ing and  research  which  it  displays,  even  had  they 
marked  the  labor  of  grey  hairs,  how  much  more 
must  we  prize  and  estimate  them,  when  we  learn 
that  the  extraordinary  effort  proceeds  from  the 
verge  of  boyhood." 

The  Sultan  of  Turkey,  Mahmoud  II.,  to  whom 
the  aforenamed  production  was  dedicated,  expressed 
his  high  approbation  thereof;  and,  at  the  death  of 
the  author,  sent  the  bereaved  mother  a  splendid 
diamond  ring,  accompanied  by  a  letter  of  condo- 
lence on  the  irreparable  loss  sustained. 

Merely  a  few  of   the  good    and  sterling  qualities 


44  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

adorning  the  character  of  Arthur  Lumley  Davids 
have  been  here  enumerated.  Short,  but  brilliant, 
was  the  career  which  closed  on  the  19th  of  July, 
1832, — a  model  that  every  youth  should  strive  to 
copy. 

LELIO  DELLA  TORRE. 

The  great  Zunz  stated  in  one  of  his  writings  that 
sacred  oratory  is  unknown  among  the  Hebrews  of  the 
Italian  peninsula ;  that  Cabbalistic  subtleties  form 
the  most  important  part  of  the  sermons  delivered 
in  the  Synagogues.  The  profound  critic  obviously 
labored  under  a  misapprehension.  While  he  so  as- 
serted, Rabbi  Aaron  Lattes — to  cite  but  one  instance, 
— at  Venice,  preached  in  choice  words  and  faultless 
rhetoric.  But  the  sweeping  charge  hurt  the  feelings 
of  a  man  who  had  directed  his  energies  to  the  ele- 
vation of  the  art  of  public  speaking,  and  who  san- 
guinely  anticipated  happy  results.  The  belief  that 
he  could  bring  these  to  pass,  won  his  election  to 
a  responsible  position.  He  was  to  train  Talmudic 
scholars,  by  rule  and  by  practice,  to  preach  accept- 
ably before  large  audiences. 

Prof.  Lelio  Delia  Torre  was  born  at  Cuneo,  Italy, 
on  January  nth,  1805.  Left  fatherless  when  only 
two  years  old,  the  child  found  shelter  at  the  home 
of  his  grandparents.  After  a  time,  his  maternal 
uncle,    the   venerated    Rabbi   and  admired  preacher, 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  45 

S.  G.  Treves,  took  the  boy  in  charge.  It  was  en- 
tirely to  him  that  the  nephew  owed  his  advance- 
ment. For  the  kind  relative  generously  offered  the 
lad  support  and  education.  In  touching  language, 
Delia  Torre  has  repeatedly  acknowledged  his  in- 
debtedness. But  nature  had  largely  provided  for 
the    reception    of  a   fruitful    tuition. 

In  his  eighteenth  year,  the  youth  was  chosen 
to  teach  Hebrew  and  Biblical  exegesis  at  a  college 
in  Turin.  Over  a  hundred  students  attended  that 
institute,  and  there,  for  six  consecutive  years,  a 
numerous  class  listened  to  elucidations  of  the  con- 
struction and  meaning  of  Holy  Writ.  During  one 
half  of  that  period,  the  young  preceptor  performed 
likewise    the    duties   of  assistant    Rabbi. 

In  1829  Padua,  famous  in  the  annals  of  secular 
literature,  became  also  a  high  seat  of  sacred  lore. 
The  Austrian  Government — then  ruling  Lombardy 
and  Venice — encouraged  and  subsidized  a  college, 
and  many  among  the  faithful  contributed  to  the 
maintenance  thereof.  Delia  Torre  now  saw  bearded 
men  bend  to  receive  what  flowed  from  his  richly- 
stored  intellect.  His  influence  raised  the  standard 
of  Talmudical,  studies,  for  logic  .and  system  dis- 
lodged hair-splitting  sophistry  or  Pilpulism.  Persons 
who  had  pored  over  volumes  of  the  Gemara  and 
found  the  task  irksome,  travelled  far  to  learn  afresh 
what  is  demanded  of  those  who  wish  to  exercise  the 
Rabbinate,  suitably  to  the  needs  of  the  present  age. 


46  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

In  an  erudite  discourse,  delivered  soon-  after  the 
opening  of  the  institute,  the  Professor  explained 
how  theology,  based  on  the  books  of  tradition,  can 
be  made  a  science  attractive  to  the  minds  of  the 
thoughtful.  He  promised  to  accomplish,  in  the  de- 
partment assigned  to-^him,  what  his  already  distin- 
guished colleague,  Samuel  David  Luzzatto,  would  do 
in  Scriptural  hermeneutics.  That  declaration  was 
carried  out  to  the  end,  as  proved  by  the  testimony 
of  many  disciples  now  officiating  in  various  cities 
throughout  Italy  and  in  foreign  lands. 

Like  the  Sages  of  old,  Prof.  Delia  Torre  com- 
municated his  teachings  orally.  None  of  his  illus- 
trations found  their  way  into  the  press.  He  hasr 
however,  bequeathed  to  posterity  writings  which 
evidence  great  linguistic  acquirements,  a  ready  pen 
and  a  polished  style.  We  will  mention  some,  pub- 
lished both  prior  to  and  after  his  death. 

A  volume  of  sermons,  with  a  preface,  in  which 
the  author  pleads  for  pulpit  instruction,  and  for  the 
dissemination  of  good  lectures  based  on  solid  Jew- 
ish grounds,  was  issued  at  Padua.  This  work  be- 
came the  starting-point  in  the  course  which  the  Pro- 
fessor seemed  delighted  to  pursue.  Homiletics  found 
in  him  a  staunch  devotee,  and  he  inspired  his  pu- 
pils with  love  for  that  important  branch  of  litera- 
ture. In  addition  to  many  addresses,  orations  and 
panegyrics,  there   appeared  "  Thoughts   on  the  Sec- 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  47 

tions  of  the  Pentateuch  for  the  Sabbath,"  comprising 
forty-nine  lectures,  which  may  serve  as  a  pattern  to 
students.  There  was  also  published  an  Italian  ren- 
dition of  the  Book  of  Psalms,  with  explanatory  head- 
ings. A  volume  of  notes  to  this  production,  through 
various  mishaps,  did  not  come  out  till  a  number  of 
years  later,  and  then  only  incomplete.  An  Italian 
translation  of  the  liturgy,  and  an  essay,  "  Woman 
Among  the  Hebrews,"  emanated  from  the  same 
source.  A  selection  of  Hebrew  poems,  entitled  Tal 
Yalduth,  was  subsequently  given  to  the  public.  It 
contains  effusions  suggested  by  circumstances  which 
happened  in  the  author's  early  life,  besides  rhythmi- 
cal versions  of  Latin,  Italian,  and  German  compo- 
sitions, and  a  valuable  introduction. 

Delia  Torre  showed  his  admiration  for  Moses 
Mendelssohn,  Isaac  Noah  Mannheimer  and  Grace 
Aguilar,  by  inditing  separate  sketches  of  the  lives 
and  deeds  of  those  illustrious  members  of  the  He- 
brew race.  The  ease  with  which  he  employed  foreign 
languages  made  his  learned  articles  a  desideratum  in 
periodicals  issued  in  France  and  Germany.  His  con- 
tributions, if  put  together,  would  form  a  book  of 
considerable  size. 

Closely  watching  every  movement  in  the  religi- 
ous community  of  his  Italian  brethren,  the  Pro- 
fessor made  himself  heard,  through  different  journals, 
in  his  native  land,  on  subjects  relating  to  the  Syna- 
gogue and  the  ritual. 


48  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

An  existence  of  sixty-six  years  closed  at  Padua, 
Italy,  on  July  9th,   1871. 

The  sons  of  Prof.  Delia  Torre,  who  have  turned 
aside  from  engrossing  occupations  to  bring  to  light 
much  that  their  father  left  unpublished,  assert  that 
a  number  of  Hebiew  manuscripts,  principally  on  cas- 
uistical questions,  are  among  the  paternal  relics.  Let 
us  hope  that  they  may  not  be  lost  in  the  ravages  of 
time.  Should  they  have  gone  to  Pesth,  whose  Rab- 
binical college  possesses  the  superb  library  of  the 
Italian  literator,  men  like  Prof.  Dr.  David  Kauf- 
mann  will  know  how  to  turn  writings  so  valuable 
to  good  account. 

JOSEPH  DERENBOURG. 

The  life  of  a  Hebrew  who  has  searched  deep  and 
brought  forth  what  has  given  his  co-religionists  just 
cause  for  glory,  should  be  descanted  -  upon.  De- 
prived of  the  satisfaction  of  following  a  strong  in- 
clination, we  hope  that  the  little  about  to  be  said 
will  serve  to  create  an  idea — however  faint — of  the 
acquisitions  of  a  singularly-gifted  intellect. 

Prof.  Joseph  Derenbourg  was  born  at  Mayence, 
in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  in  181 1.  He  re- 
ceived preliminary  instruction  in  his  native  city. 
When  sufficiently  advanced  to  enter  a  University, 
he  repaired  to  Giessen ;  but  it  was  at  Bonn  that 
he  completed  his  studies.  The  scholar's  mental 
powers  had  now  developed  to  a  wide  extent. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  49 

M.  Derenbourg  spent  a  number  of  years  at  Am- 
sterdam, Holland.  There  he  became  known  by  his 
literary  endeavors.  These  comprised  a  number  of 
essays  exhibiting  deep  penetration  and  the  grasp 
of  a  thorough  critic.  Arriving  in  France,  he  asso- 
ciated himself  with  Munk  and  Albert  Cohn,  those 
two  great  and  good  Israelites  who  aimed  with  single- 
ness of  purpose  at  the  improvement  of  their  people. 

Derenbourg  demonstrated  how  beneficially  he 
could  employ  his  talents,  by  founding  an  educa- 
tional institute  for  boys,  and  by  contributing  numer- 
ous articles  to  French,  German  and  Dutch  magazines; 
among  these  were  the  Orientalia,  the  Asiatic  Jour- 
nal, Jost's  Annals,  and  one  of  Geiger's  publications. 
Our  author  also  took  a  prominent  part  in  collating 
the  Catalogue  of  Hebrew  Manuscripts  in  the  Impe- 
rial Library. 

The  French  Government  has,  on  several  occas- 
ions, recognized  M.  Derenbourg's  services.  With 
other  co-religionists,  he  shares  the  distinction  of  wear- 
ing the  decoration  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.  For 
two  years  this  eminent  Israelite  has  filled  the  chair 
of  Rabbinical  Hebrew,  in  a  school  established  and 
maintained  by  the  public.  As  a  reward  to  the  earnest 
worker  the  Academy  of  Inscriptions  and  Belles  Lettres 
inscribed  his  name  on  the  roll  of  its    members. 

The  productions  of  M.  Derenbourg  are  chiefly 
on    subjects    connected   with    the    history  and   litera- 


50  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

ture  of  the  East,  and  they  are  authoritative  on  the 
questions  treated.  Notes  on  the  Last  Passover  of 
Jesus;  and  on  the  Ancient  Hebrew  Grammar — 1841, 
were  followed  by  an  edition  of  Lokman,  with  a 
French  translation — 1850;  the  second  edition  of  the 
seances  of  Harriii,  conjointly  with  M.  Reinaud — 1852; 
"  History  and  Geography  of  Palestine" — 1867  ;  "Notes 
on  Epigraphy" — 1868-69;  "  Hebrew  Grammar" — 
1875  >  etc->  etc-  A  revised  edition  of  several  minor 
writings  of  Jona  ibn  Ganach  is  now  being  prepared, 
and  it  will,  in  all  likelihood,  appear  in  a  short  time. 
Though  nearing  an  age  which  calls  for  repose, 
Joseph  Derenbourg  does  not  depart  from  his  orig- 
inal resolve.  He  will  continue  in  the  same  goodly 
path,  until  he  reaches  the  terminus  of  life's  journey. 


DAVID  AARON  DE  SOLA. 

Holland,  where  the  famous  Menasseh  Ben  Is- 
rael was  reared,  has  considerably  lengthened  the 
list  of  Jewish  literators  with  the  names  of  her  chil- 
dren. There  Saul  Levi  Morteira  wrote ;  there  Solo- 
mon De  Oliveira  and  David  Franco  Mendes  issued 
their  poetical  effusions  ;  and  from  the  midst  thereof 
proceeded  some  who  held  honored  positions  abroad, 
both  as  ministers  and  authors.  The  career  of 
Mr.  De  Sola  affords  a  striking  example. 

The  Rev.  David  Aaron  De  Sola  was  a  descend- 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  5T 

ant  of  an  ancient  family  who  had  emigrated  from 
Spain,  on  the  expulsion  of  the  Jews  by  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella,  in  1492,  and  settled  in  The  Nether- 
lands. He  was  born  at  Amsterdam,  on  the  26th 
of  December,  1796.  The  desire  of  his  relations  had 
been  to  train  him  for  the  medical  profession,  but 
he  exhibited  a  preference  for  Hebrew  theology. 
When  rather  young — eleven  years  old — he  gained 
admission  into  the  Jewish  Seminary  of  his  native 
city.  He  remained  there  nine  years,  during  which 
time    he    was    promoted  to    the  highest  scholarship. 

In  181 8  the  Portuguese  Congregation  of  Lon- 
don decided  to  elect  a  second  Hazan  or  minister 
— the  Rev.  Isaac  Almosnino  being  the  first — and 
Mr.  De  Sola  became  a  candidate  for  the  office.  He 
arrived  in  England  on  the  9th  of  July  of  the  same 
year,  and  was  duly  chosen  on  the  12th  of  August 
following. 

Notwithstanding  the  arduous  duties  attending 
the  ministry,  Mr.  De  Sola  actively  engaged  in  lit- 
erary pursuits.  The  work  he  first  published,  "  The 
Blessings,"  with  an  introductory  Essay  on  Thanks- 
giving, originated  with  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  to 
whom  he  acknowledged  himself  deeply  indebted. 
The  book  was  designed  to  convey  religious  infor- 
mation, regarding  the  various  precepts,  etc.  Mr. 
De  Sola  began  to  preach  in  March,  1831,  and  his 
occasional    English    sermons — then   quite    a    novelty 


52  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

in  the  Portuguese  Synagogue — created  a  very  favor- 
able impression.  The  Society  for  the  Cultivation 
of  the  Hebrew  Language  and  Literature  numbered 
him  among  its  ardent  laborers.  Before  it,  he  de- 
livered a  course  of  lectures  on  "  Sacred  Biography 
as  Connected  with  Hebrew  Literature." 

One  of  the  most  important  tasks  of  Mr.  De 
Sola  was  a  rendition  into  English  of  the  complete 
Portuguese  Jewish  Prayers, — a  decided  improvement 
on  the  versions  of  A.  Alexander  (London,  1771), 
and  David  Levi  (London,  1791).  In  conjunction 
with  the  Rev.  Dr.  M.  J.  Raphall,  he  presented  an 
English  translation  of  eighteen  treatises  of  the 
*?  Mishna ;"  and  began  the  publication  of  an  edi- 
tion of  the  Bible,  with  the  same  gentleman  and 
Mr.  I.  L.  Lindenthal.  Owing  to  the  removal  of 
Dr.  Raphall  to  Birmingham,  the  enterprise  was 
abandoned  after  the  Book  of  Genesis  had  appeared. 
On  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Almosnino,  in  1843, 
Mr.  De  Sola  was  appointed  senior-minister,  which 
position  he  occupied  during  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  his  colleague  being  the  Rev.  David  Piza.  He 
evinced  a  lively  interest  in  the  establishment  of  an 
Association  for  the  promotion  of  Jewish  Literature, 
and  lent  his  aid  in  the  the  issue  of  several  of  Miss 
Aguilar's  works.  Mrs.  Charlotte  Monteflore  and 
Miss  Miriam  Mendes  Belisario  likewise  secured 
his  able  assistance,  when  preparing  their  various 
productions. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  53* 

Mr.  De  Sola  brought  forth,  in  1855,  a  biogra- 
phy of  the  celebrated  Italian  scholar,  Isaac  Samuel 
Reggio,  in  the  Dutch  language,  and  which  has 
since  received  an  English  translation  from  the  late 
Rev.  Jacob  J.  Peres.  In  addition  to  a  number  of 
miscellaneous  writings  and  contributions  to  the  press, 
he  published  u  The  Ancient  Melodies  of  the  Spanish 
and  Portuguese  Jews,"  an  important  work,  in  connec- 
tion with  Mr.  Emanuel  Aguilar,  a  musician  of 
note  and  a  brother  of  the  gifted  authoress.  Ap- 
pended to  this  was  "An  Historical  Essay  on  the 
Poets,  Poetry  and  Melodies  of  the  Sephardic  Lit- 
urgy." 

Mr.  De  Sola  left  behind  him  a  mass  of  literary 
correspondence  with  some  of  the  master  minds  of 
the  Jewish  people,  whose  confidence  he  enjoyed. 
He  expired  on  the  29th  of  October,  i860,  lamented 
by  all  who  had  valued  his  friendship  and  pro- 
fited   by   his  knowledge. 

ABRAHAM  DE   SOLA. 

At  a  time  when  the  Jewish  inhabitants  of 
America  needed  able  expounders  of  the  religion  of 
the  Hebrew  Bible  and  traditions — persons  whose 
characters  could  impart  dignity  to  the  ancestral  wor- 
ship— a  young  man  arrived  on  this  continent.  He 
was   peculiarly    fitted,    by    training    and    early   asso- 


"54  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ciations,  for  the  sacred  undertaking,  which  had  led 
him  far  away  from  home.  In  the  school  and  at. the 
Synagogue,  he  had  learnt  that  the  history  of  the 
chosen  race  must  be  presented  in  an  attractive,  but 
not  meretricious,  garb;  that  the  service  of  God's 
people  must  be  solemn,  but  not  strained.  Thus 
furnished  with  the  means  for  giving  a  healthy  im- 
petus to  what  he  wished  to  preserve,  the  new  comer 
set  himself  to  work.  What  follows  will  show '  how 
the  community  benefited  by  the  endeavors  of  this 
public  servant. 

The  Rev.  Prof.  Abraham  De  Sola,  LL.D.,  was  born 
at  London,  England,  on  the  18th  of  September, 
1825.  His  father,  the  Rev.  David  Aaron  De  Sola, 
-enjoyed  a  high  reputation  as  a  divine  and  scholar. 
Young  De  Sola  received  a  careful  education,  under 
paternal  supervision.  After  having  finished  his 
academical  studies',  he  took  to  Hebrew,  Literature 
and  Theology.  Diligence  and  perseverance  soon 
produced  the  results  which  always  attend  them.  Be- 
fore reaching  manhood,  Mr.  De  Sola  was  urged  by 
many  who  recognized  his  worth  to  apply  for  a 
ministerial  office  in  his  native  city.  But  a  wider 
sphere  of  action  had  been  opened  for  him  in  the 
New  World.  In  1847  ne  responded  to  a  call  from 
the  Portuguese  Hebrew  Congregation,  of  Montreal, 
Canada. 

There  began   Dr.   De  Sola's  steadfast    labors.    In 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  55 

the  first  year  of  his  residence  at  Montreal,  he  lec- 
tured before  the  Mercantile  Library  Association, 
on  the  "  History  of  the  Jews  of  England,"  and  that 
his  efforts  were  duly  appreciated  is  evidenced  by 
his  having  been  requested  to  address  the  same  so- 
ciety, as  well  as  the  Mechanics'  Institute,  every  suc- 
ceeding winter  during  which  a  course  of  lectures 
was  given.  The  Doctor  was  chosen  President  of 
the  Natural  History  Society,  of  Montreal,  a  posi- 
tion he  still  retains.  Before  that  organization,  he 
has  delivered  very  interesting  lectures  on  Jewish 
history,  and  on  the  zoology,  cosmogony,  and  botany 
of  the  Scriptures;  displaying  in  all  a  rare  scholar- 
ship, and  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  sub- 
jects. 

In  a  short  space. of  time  Dr.  De  Sola's  talents 
had  brought  him  out  so  prominently,  that  in  1848 
he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Hebrew  and  Semi- 
tic Literature  in  M'Gill  College.  The  duties  at- 
tached to  that  honorable  office  he  has  discharged 
with  commendable  zeal.  So  ■  popular  he  became  in 
the  said  institution  that  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws  was  conferred  on  him,  and  he  was  selected 
to  address  the  graduates,  on  behalf  of  the  Faculty, 
at  one  of  the  commencements, — a  token  of  distinc- 
tion accorded  only  to  preceptors  of  marked  abilities. 

Prof.  De  Sola  has  labored  for  the  welfare  of  his 
brethren   as  a    minister,   but  more  particularly   as  a 


56  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

writer.  Many  articles  from  his  pen  have  graced 
the  columns  of  the  secular  and  the  Jewish  press, 
and  the  drift  thereof  has  been  the  exaltation  of  the 
religion  of  Israel,  and  the  exposing  to  view  of  the 
grand  literature  of  our  people.  The  author's  style 
is  clear  and  choice,  and  his  logical  arguments  leave 
a  deep  impression.  Of  the  Professor's  writings  we 
may  mention  "  Notes  on  the  Jews  of  .Persia,"  "Com- 
mentary on  Samuel  Hannagid's  Introduction  to  the 
Talmud,"  "  Peritsol's  Cosmography,"  "  Life  of  Sha- 
bethai  Tsevi,"  M  History  of  the  Jews  of  Poland," 
"  History  of  the  Jews  of  France ;"  and  also,  in  con- 
junction with  the  late  Rev.  Jacques  J.  Lyons,  of 
New  York,    "  The  Jewish  Calendar." 

Dr.  De  Sola,  who  was  in  close  literary  relations 
with  the  Rev.  Isaac  Leeser,  purchased  from  the  lat- 
ter's  executors  the  plates  of  all  his  works,  and  re- 
issued several  of  these,  principally  the  forms  of  prayer, 
according  to  both  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese,  and  the 
German  rituals.  But  recently  the  Doctor  has  pub- 
lished, in  six  volumes,  a  revised  translation  of  the 
liturgy  exclusively  in  use  among  the  Sephardim,  a 
labor  undertaken  at  the  instance  of  the  late  Rev. 
Dr.  Benjamin  Artom,  Chief  Rabbi  of  the  Spanish 
and  Portuguese  Congregations  of  the  British  Em- 
pire, and  dedicated  to  Sir  Moses  Montefiore  and 
to  the  memory  of  his  lamented  consort,  Lady  Ju- 
dith. 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  57 

In  addition  to  all  this,  Dr.  De  Sola  has  constant- 
ly identified  himself  with  educational,  charitable  and 
literary  associations,  alike  of  his  fellow-believers  and 
of  Christians,  who  hold  him  in  high  regard.  On 
the  9th  of  January,  1872,  Prof.  De  Sola  was  granted 
the  privilege  of  opening  the  United  States  House 
of  Representatives  with  prayer,  he  being  the  first 
foreign  clergyman  to  invoke  the  Divine  blessing 
within  the  halls  of  Congress.  His  outpourings 
elicited  favorable  comments,  by  reason  of  their 
broad  and  humanitarian  character,  free  from  the 
least    tincture   of  sectarianism. 

Several  voyages  to  Europe  have  tended  to  in- 
crease Prof.  DeSola's  popularity  in  the  Old  World, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  proved  a  benefit  to  his  health, 
and  a  restorative  to  his  mental  powers ;  as  de- 
sired by  all  who  hope  to  see  him  long  engaged 
in    the    service  of  his  brethren. 


EMANUEL   OSCAR   MENAHEM  DEUTSCH. 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  there  is  no  intellectual 
movement  for  the  advancement  of  the  masses,  in 
which  Israelites  do  not  figure  conspicuously.  The 
correctness  of  this  assertion  can  be  ascertained  by 
glancing  at  the  careers  of  numbers  of  Hebrews 
who  devoted  their  best  energies  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  a   sole  object,  viz. :  the   general   diffusion  of 


58  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

knowledge.  Thus  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  largely  in- 
indebted  to  the  literary  research  of  Dr.  Emanuel 
Oscar  Menahem  Deutsch  for  the  revelation  of  import- 
ant facts  regarding  a  work  which  will  outlive  pos- 
terity— the  Talmud. 

Dr.  Deutsch  was  born  at  Neisse,  in  the  province 
of  Silesia,  Prussia,  on  the  28th  of  October,  1829. 
When  but  six  years  old,  he  attended  the  gymna- 
sium of  his  birth-place,  and  continued  there  some 
time.  The  boy's  uncle,  David  Deutsch,  of  Mislowitz, 
desired  to  be  entrusted  with  his  nephew's  education, 
and  in  compliance  with  the  wish  expressed,  Emanuel 
remained  under  the  charge  of  that  relative  until 
his  thirteenth  year.  The  lad  was  subjected  to  a 
rather  stern  discipline,  being  obliged  to  rise  daily 
at  five  o'clock,  having  but  half  an  hour  for  re- 
creation, as  the  rest  of  the  time  had  to  be  entirely 
spent  in  hard  study.  This  continued  strain,  though 
it  laid  the  foundation  of  an  accurate  scholarship, 
proved  a  severe  blow  to  the  health  of  the  student 
in  after  years.  On  returning  home,  young  Deutsch 
again  proceeded  to  the  gymnasium,  where  he  was  en- 
rolled in  the  highest  class.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
he  went  to  the  Berlin  University,  where  theology 
and  the  Talmud    mainly    occupied    his    thoughts. 

Deutsch  supported  himself  by  teaching,  and  he 
wrote  several  stories  and  poems  for  magazines.  It 
was  not  long  before  he  completely  mastered  the 
English  language  and  its  literature. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  59 

In  1855  Dr.  Deutsch  was  appointed  assistant  in 
the  library  of  the  British  Museum,  which  position 
afforded  him  the  opportunity  to  largely  exercise 
his  talents.  He  contributed  numerous  papers  to 
Chambers'  Encyclopedia,  essays  to  Kitto's  and 
Smith's  Bible  Dictionaries,  and  articles  to  different 
journals.  His  principal  aim,  however,  was  a  treatise 
on  the  Talmud — the  ideal  of  his  childhood.  This 
took  a  practical  form  in  October,  1867,  when  his 
article  on  the  above-named  work  appeared  in  the 
London  Quarterly  Review.  The  great  merit  of  the 
production  at  once  established  his  fame,  and  within 
twelvemonths  it  was  translated  into  French,  German 
Russian,  Swedish,  Dutch,  and  Danish. 

Dr.  Deutsch  having  conceived  a  strong  affection 
for  the  East,  was  granted  leave  of  absence  for  ten 
weeks.  He  left  England  on  the  7th  of  March,  1869, 
and  visited,  among  other  places,  Palestine,  remain- 
ing awhile  in  Jerusalem.  Profound  emotions  seized 
his  heart,  when  he  stood  by  the  ruins  of  the  an- 
cient Temple  (called  "  The  Wailing-Place  of  the 
Jews  "),  the  spot  where  the  faithful,  on  each  eve  of 
the  Sabbath,  bemoan  the  loss  of  the  Hebrew  na- 
tionality. The  rapidity  and  fatigue  of  Dr.  Deutsch's 
journey  to  the  Orient,  seriously  impaired  his  consti- 
stitution.  He  reached  England  on  the  10th  of 
May,  submitted  a  valuable  report  of  his  travels  to 
the  trustees  of  the    British    Museum,  and    delivered 


60  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

a  number  of  lectures,  chiefly  on  Phoenicia.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1869,  his  article  on  "Islam,"  was  published  in 
the    Quarterly  Review. 

Overwork,  together  with  ill-health  and  the  death 
of  attached  friends,  caused  much  depression  of  spir- 
its, and  the  old  longing  for  the  East  revived  with 
greater  force.  Towards  the  close  of  1872,  Dr. 
Deutsch  obtained  six  months'  vacation,  and  set  out 
for  Italy  and  Egypt.  But  his  physical  powers  were 
now  entirely  exhausted,  and  the  severity  of  the 
winter  helped  to  weaken  his  already  broken-down 
frame.  He  reached  Cairo  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1873,  and  was  thence  removed  to  Alexandria.  All 
efforts  to  restore  him  became  of  no  avail,  and  on 
the  1 2th  of  May  following  he  breathed  his  last. 
He  was  interred  in  the  Jewish  Cemetery  of  Alex- 
andria, where  a  granite  stone  marks  the  grave  of 
this  lamented  author. 

Dr.  Deutsch  added  to  his  remarkable  knowledge 
of  European  languages,  and  of  Hebrew,  a  thorough 
acquaintance  with  the  Sanscrit,  Chaldaic,  Aramaic 
and  Phoenician  tongues.  Of  his  connection  with  the 
British  Museum,  he  thus  speaks :  "  For  nigh  twenty 
years,  it  was  my  privilege  to  dwell  in  the  very 
midst  of  that  pantheon  called  the  British  Museum, 
the  treasures  whereof,  be  they  Egyptian,  Homeric, 
palimpsest,  or  Babylonian  cuneiforms,  the  mutilated 
glories  of  the  Parthenon,  or   the    Etruscan   mysteri- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  6 1 

ous  grotesqueness,  were  all  at  my  beck  and  call, 
all  days,  all   hours." 

A  large  accumulation  of  manuscripts  was  found 
after  Dr.  Deutsch's  death,  containing  parts  of  the 
Talmud,  copied  or  translated,  beginning  in  a  child's 
hand-writing,  and  reaching  down  to  a  comparatively 
late  period.  His  Literary  Remains,  consisting  of 
nineteen  papers  on  such  subjects  as  "  The  Tal- 
mud"  and  "  Islam,"  before  mentioned;  "  Semitic 
Culture,"  "  Egypt,  Ancient  and  Modern,"  "  Semitic 
Languages,"  "  The  Targums,"  "  The  Samaritan  Pen- 
tateuch," and  ■"  Arabic  Poetry,"  edited  by  Lady 
Strangford,  appeared  in  1874. 

A  void,  not  easily  filled,  was  created  in  the 
world  of  letters,  when  he,  that  surpassed  many  of 
his  coevals  in  the  accomplishment  of  extraordinary 
designs,  was  summoned  from  the  sphere  of  his  ac- 
tivity. 

ISAAC   DISRAELI. 

Few  of  England's  prose-writers  have  acquired 
as  much  distinction  as  Isaac  D'Israeli.  The  fact 
may  be  attributed  to  the  wide  interest  which  his 
writings  command,  and  likewise  to  their  character- 
istic elegance  and  purity  of  style.  Mr.  D'Israeli, 
though  never  professing  a  strict  adherence  to  Jew- 
ish observances,  always  considered  it  an  especial 
pride   to   be    numbered    among    the    descendants  of 


62  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Abraham ;   nor  did   his  religious    convictions    waver. 

Isaac  D'Israeli  was  born  at  Enfield,  in  May, 
1766.  He  belonged  to  a  Hebrew  family  that  had 
been  driven  from  Spain  by  the  Inquisition,  and  had 
settled  at  Venice.  His  father,  Benjamin  D'Israeli, 
removed  to  England  in  1748,  at  the  age  of  eigh- 
teen, and  there  became  a  prominent  merchant, 
amassing,  in  a  short  time,  a  considerable  fortune. 
Isaac,  when  a  small  child,  displayed  a  precocity 
which  promised  a  brilliant  future.  His  time  was 
entirely  occupied  with  books,  and  he  evinced  a  de- 
cided aversion  to  worldly  pursuits,  which  action  his 
parents  by  no  means  sustained.  In  order  to  change 
the  bent  of  the  boy's  mind,  his  father  sent  him  to 
school  at  Amsterdam,  where  he  remained  four  or 
five  years.  Bayle,  Voltaire,  and  Rousseau  were  his 
favorite  studies.  Before  returning  to  England,  he 
wrote  a  long  poem  against  commerce,  which  was 
submitted  to  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  but  the  death  of 
the  latter  prevented   its   examination. 

Mr.  D'Israeli  intended  to  place  his  son  in  a 
commercial  house  at  Bordeaux,  but  the  opposition 
with  which  he  met,  induced  the  father  to  give  up 
his  purpose,  and  the  youth  was  allowed  to  follow 
his  own  disposition.  He  travelled  in  France,  and 
spent  some  months  in  Paris,  in  the  society  of  men 
devoted  to  literary  pursuits,  which  formed  the 
delight   of  young   D'Israeli. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  63 

Coming  home  in  1788,  he  published  an  anony- 
mous poem,  "  On  the  Abuse  of  Satire,"  after  the 
manner  of  Pope.  It  was  intended  as  an  attack  on 
"  Peter  Pindar"  (Dr.  John  Wolcot)  and  the  favor 
it  obtained  laid  the  corner-stone  of  Mr.  D'Israeli's 
literary  fame.  Much  speculation  was  indulged  in 
as  to  its  authorship,  and  such  were  the  merits  of  the 
poetic  effusion,  that  several  popular  writers  received 
the  credit,  ere  the  name  of  its  real  author  leaked 
out. 

Mr.  Disraeli's  mind  was  now  wholly  engrossed  in 
the  preparation  of  the  work  by  which  he  is  best 
known.  The  first  volume  of  the  "  Curiosities  of 
Literature,"  appeared  in  1791  ;  the  second  in  1793; 
and  the  third,  which  completed  the  series,  in  181 7. 
"Miscellanies,  or  Literary  Recreations,"  in  1796; 
"Calamities  of  Authors,"  in  181 2;  and  "Quarrels 
of  Authors,"  in  18 14,  fully  sustained  the  writer's 
high  reputation.  It  would  take  many  pages  to 
enumerate  the  various  productions  of  a  pen  so  fer- 
tile. Suffice  the  mention  of  "  Despotism,  or  the 
Fall  of  the  Jesuits,"  a  novel  (2  vols.);  ".Vaurien,  or 
Sketches  of  the  Times,"  a  philosophical  novel  (2 
vols.) ;  apologetic  of  the  "  Character  of  James  I. ;" 
"The  Literary  Character,"  an  essay;  and  " Commen- 
tary on  the  Life  and  Reign  of  Charles  I."  The 
work  last  mentioned  gained  for  Mr.  D'Israeli  the 
title  of  D.  C.  L.,  from  the  University  of  Oxford,  in 
acknowledgment  of  his  abilities  as  an  historian. 


64  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

In  July,  1820,  he  contributed  an  article  to  the 
London  Quarterly  Review,  in  defence  of  Pope.  It 
created  quite  a  sensation,  there  being  at  that  period 
a  spirited  controversy  as  to  the  merits  and  demerits 
of  the  English  poet.  A  proof  of  the  esteem  for 
Mr.  D'Israeli  as  a  man  of  letters,  is  a  remark  of 
Lord  Byron,  who  alluded  to  him  as  "  that  most  en- 
tertaining and  searching  writer." 

It  is  fitting  now  to  refer  to  several  momentous  inci- 
dents in  the  life  of  Mr.  D'Israeli,  which  had  an 
important  bearing  on  his  career,  and  exercised 
much  influence  in  the  rearing  of  his  family.  Ben- 
jamin D'Israeli,  the  father  of  Isaac,  on  arriving 
in  England,  joined  the  Portuguese  Synagogue. 
Though  not  a  strict  conformant  to  the  tenets  of 
his  religion,  he,  nevertheless,  contributed  a  yearly 
sum  to  the  support  of  the  congregation.  His  son, 
Isaac,  married  Maria  Basevi,  sister  of  George  Basevi, 
the  architect,  all  being  members  of  the  Portuguese 
Synagogue.  Mr.  Isaac  D'Israeli  seldom  attended 
worship,  but  paid  regularly  his  finta  or  tax  of 
£10  per  annum.  On  October  3d,  181 3,  he  was 
elected  Parnass  or  Warden  of  the  Bevis  Marks 
Synagogue,  which  position  he  declined  with  thanks; 
at  the  same  time  expressing  his  readiness  to  con- 
tinue giving  his  mite,  without  assuming  any  active 
part.  No  notice  was  taken  of  his  action,  and, 
pursuant   to   the    rules,    he    was    fined    £40.      This 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  65 

drew  from  him  an  interesting  letter,  which  plainly 
shows  the  injustice  against  which  he  strongly  pro- 
tested.* The  determination  of  the  elders  of  the 
Synagogue  was  not  shaken  by  this  communication, 
and  he  was  informed,  "  that,  in  accordance  with  the 
present  laws,  it  is  not  possible  to  grant  him  the 
exemptions  he  desires." 

When  Mr.  DTsraeli  received  his  annual  account 
in  March,  1814,  he  refused  to  pay  the  fine  for  his- 
non-acceptance  of  office,  though  he  showed  his 
willingness  to  discharge  the  usual  tax.  The  un- 
pleasant circumstance  occasioned  several  summonses 
to  meetings  of  the  congregation,  which  elicited  fur- 
ther correspondence.  In  March,  18 17,  the  matter 
terminated,  in  Mr.  D'Israeli  withdrawing  from  the 
Synagogue ;  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Basevi,  also  sev- 
ering his  connection.  How  the  Jewish  community 
was  injuriously  affected  by  what  has  just  been  nar- 
rated, we  shall  proceed  to  demonstrate. 

The  sons  of  Mr.  DTsraeli, — Benjamin,  Ralph, 
and  James, — all  born  prior  to  the  dispute  mentioned, 
were  admitted  into  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  and 
the  daughter,  Sarah,  was  bred  in  her  parents'  faith. 
But  the  Right  Hon.  Benjamin  Disraeli  (who  has 
so  altered  his  surname)  became  affiliated  to  the 
Church  of  England,  through  the  influence  of  a 
Christian  friend, — the  poet,  Samuel  Rogers. 

*See   Picciotto's   "  Sketches   of  Anglo- Jewish  History,"   p.  297. 


66  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

The  history  of  the  present  Premier  of  Great 
Britain  is  as  familiar  as  a  household  word,  and  late 
events  have  amply  testified  to  his  controlling  power 
in  European  affairs. 

The  Earl  of  Beaconsfield  has  published  a  com- 
plete edition  of  his  father's  writings,  and  prefaced 
it  with  an  introduction,  in  the  course  of  which 
this  passage  occurs :  "  He  was  a  complete  liter- 
ary character,  a  man  who  really  passed  his  life 
in  his  library,"^ — a  graphic  description  of  him  whose 
life  has  been  sketched. 

Isaac  D'Israeli's  estrangement  from  a  people 
whose  very  appellation  his  predecessors  had  cho- 
sen as  a  distinctive  family  name,  must  needs  be 
lamented ;  but  his  attachment  to  the  principles  of 
the  ancestral  faith  is  proven  in  his  excellent  work, 
entitled  "  Genius  of  Judaism."  Mr.  D'Israeli  died 
on  the  19th  of  January,  1848,  having  approached 
the  ripe  age  of  eighty-two  years,  bequeathing  to 
the    world    the    fruits    of  his  long    literary    labors. 

DAVID    EINHORN. 

The  extreme  wing  of  Reform  in  Judaism  has  pro- 
minent leaders  in  America.  But  one  lately  removed 
from  among  the  living,  displayed  a  skill  that 
caused  many  to  confide  in  his  generalship.  Ar- 
dent, fearless,  uncompromising,  his  word,  always  ut- 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  67 

tered  with  intense  earnestness,  sounded  like  a  com- 
mand that  dared  not  be  disobeyed.  From  the  very- 
outset,  he  directed  his  steps  in  a  path  which  he 
deemed  progressive.  With  unabated  vigor  he  en- 
tered the  lists  against  the  opponents  of  his  views, 
and  struggled  for  a  victorious  issue.  But  we  must 
not  anticipate  the  narrative  of  Dr.  Einhorn's  his- 
tory. Let  that  tell  of  the  iron  will  exhibited  through- 
out a  checkered  life. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  David  Einhorn  was  born  at  Dis- 
peck,  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  on  November  I  oth,  1809. 
Enjoying  the  advantage  which  not  all  students 
possess — that  of  having  a  home  supplied  with  com- 
forts— he  could  gratify  a  natural  love  for  books. 
His  extraordinary  talents  early  developed  under  care- 
ful tuition. 

In  his  ninth  year,  Einhorn  gained  admission  into 
the  Rabbinical  High  School  at  Furth,  then  in  charge 
of  the  widely-known  Rabbi  Wolf  Hamburger.  It 
was  a  great  pleasure  for  the  instructor  to  count  among 
his  pupils,  a  lad  so  apt  that  he  could  learn  almost 
intuitively.  Observing  the  quickness  with  which 
young  Einhorn  settled  the  sharp  disputations  raised 
in  the  Talmud,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  whole 
class,  the  unsophisticated  Rabbi  formed,  perchance, 
hopes  which  were  not  to  be  realized.  He  may  have 
imagined  that  he  had  discovered  in  that  Bachur,  a 
successor  who  would  shine  brilliantly  as  a  champion 


68  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

of  the  old  school.  The  title  of  Rabbi  is  not  gen- 
erally conferred  on  beardless  youths,  but  Einhorn 
obtained  it  when  only  sixteen  years  of  age. 

The  same  eagerness  the  young  man  had  felt  for 
the  pursuit  of  religious  studies,  he  experienced  when 
cultivating  branches  of  secular  learning.  At  the  Un- 
iversity of  Wurzburg,  and  subsequently  at  that  of 
Miinchen,  he  fathomed  the  depths  of  philosophy, 
while  his  mind  was  disciplined  by  Mathematics,  and 
exalted  by  the  classics.  At  the  end  of  four  years  he 
quitted  college,  as  Doctor  of  Philosophy ',  amid  the 
congratulations  of  his  preceptors. 

Then  began  the  real  battle  of  life.  Schelling 
had  displaced  what  Hamburger  fancied  he  had  firm- 
ly set  in.  Einhorn  warmly  espoused  the  cause  of 
radical  Reform.  But  in  those  days  the  promises 
of  success  to  a  minister  who  turned  aside  from 
Orthodoxy  were  anything  but  encouraging.  Our 
preacher,  notwithstanding  his  eloquence,  met  with 
refusals  when  in  quest  of  a  position.  After  hot  dis- 
cussions, and  even  legal  proceedings  had  been  re- 
sorted to,  Einhorn  finally  found  a  Rabbinical  office 
in  the  town  of  Hopstadten.  While  officiating  there, 
he  attended  the  second  conference  of  Reform  Rabbis 
at  Frankfort-on-the-Main  in  1845,  an^  made  his 
mark  by  incisive  arguments  and   scholastic  learning. 

A  little  later,  Dr.  Einhorn  succeeded  Dr.  Samuel 
Holdheim,  as    Chief  Rabbi  of  the    Grand  Puchy  of 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  69 

Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  A  warm  friendship  sprung 
up  between  the  two  congenial  spirits,  but  Einhorn, 
more  than  once,  arose  to  combat  the  opinion  of 
that  foe  of  the  Talmud,  who  sought  to  support  his 
extreme  views  by  quoting  the  very  work  he  wished 
to  demolish.  The  Doctor  was  also  led  to  oppose 
the  theory  of  Prof.  Delitsch,  the  very  scholarly  Chris- 
tian, who  maintained  that  a  male  child  of  Jewish 
parents  cannot  be  considered  an  Israelite,  unless  he 
is   admitted    into    the    covenant   of  Abraham. 

Dr.  Einhorn  was  destined  to  encounter  a  still 
stronger  antagonism  at  Pesth.  He  had  been  called 
and  welcomed  there  as  Rabbi  in  185 1,  and  those 
who  shared  his  convictions  listened  admiringly  to 
his  sermons.  But  a  storm  was  raised  by  the  Con- 
servative party.  Availing  themselves  of  the  reaction 
in  politics,  throughout  Europe,  the  adversaries  of 
Reform,  represented  the  Synagogue  of  the  emphatic 
preacher  as  a  nursery  of  revolutionary  doctrines.  The 
Austrian  Government  therefore  ordered  the  Temple 
to  be  closed,  despite  Einhorn's  protestations  and  en- 
treaties. About  this  period  appeared  "  Principles  of 
Mosaism,"  in  which  the  author  endeavors  to  prove 
that  the  statutes  of  the  Pentateuch  are  not  unchange- 
able ;  that,  while  the  truths  enunciated  therein  must 
remain  and  rule  Israel  everywhere,  the  ceremonial 
code  may  be  modified  and  altered,  or  even  abro- 
gated, agreeably  to  times  and  circumstances. 


70  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

In  1855  Dr.  Einhorn  responded  to  an  invita- 
tion from  the  Har  Sinai  Congregation  of  Balti- 
more, to  become  its  spiritual  guide.  America  and 
its  institutions  had  always  possessed  a  charm  for 
the  liberal  German.  During  his  incumbency  as 
pastor  in  the  afore-named  city,  he  published  his 
prayer-book,  '  Olath  Tamid,  which  was  received  with 
much  favor  by  many  Reform  Temples.  There  he 
also  issued  a  monthly  magazine,  called  Sinai,  in  the 
interest  of  radical  Reform.  But  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  War,  in  1861,  the  editor  scourged 
with  his  pen  and  tongue  the  defenders  of  Negro- 
slavery.  Such  boldness  in  a  place  decidedly  South- 
ern in  its  proclivities,  rendered  his  stay  danger- 
ous. It  is  even  reported  that  the  Doctor's  life 
had  been  threatened,  and  consequently  he  sought 
Philadelphia  as  a  refuge,  where  he  soon  became 
Rabbi  of  the  Congregation  Keneseth  Israel.  In  that 
city  he  brought  out  Ner  Tamid,  a  catechism  which 
has  been  adopted  by  schools  conducted  in  accord- 
ance   with    the    principles    he  advocated. 

In  1866  Dr.  Einhorn  repaired  to  New  York, 
where  a  larger  scope  was  offered  to  his  efforts  in 
the  Adath  Jeshurun  Congregation.  This  influential 
body  united,  in  1874,  with  the  old  Anshe  Chesed 
Congregation/and  formed  the  present  Beth-El.  Dr. 
Einhorn  continued  his  ministration  till  within  a 
short  period  of  his  demise. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  7 1 

The  controlling  idea  of  the  man  manifested 
itself  in  his  forcible  and  eloquent  addresses,  and  in 
his  general  demeanor.  At  a  convention  held  in 
Philadelphia,  in  1869,  he  urged  the  acceptance  of 
rules  aiming  to  abolish  Jewish  divorce  regulations, 
the   Leviratical  law,  and    other   observances. 

In  the  summer  of  1879  Dr.  Einhorn  resolved  to 
retire  from  office.  On  Sabbath,  July  12th,  of  that 
year,  he  delivered  his  farewell  sermon,  in  which  he  re- 
viewed his  career.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks, 
he  exhorted  his  flock  to  cling  to  the  principles 
he  had  strenuously  maintained,  and  to  stand  by 
his  successor  and  son-in-law,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Kaufmann 
Kohler,  "who,"  the  speaker  remarked,  "though  young 
in   years,   is    rich    in  theological    lore." 

David  Einhorn  did  not  long  survive  to  enjoy 
the  earthly  rest  which  he  had  sought.  On  Novem- 
ber 2d,  1879,  he  departed  for  "the  undiscovered 
country,  from  whose   bourn   no  traveller  returns." 

A  collection  of  the  inedited  writings  of  Dr.  Ein- 
horn might  be  a  valuable  addition  to  American 
Jewish   literature. 

HERSCHELL    FILIPOWSKL* 
The   writings    of  the  first  Hebrew  Grammarians 
and   Lexicographers  lay  buried  for  ages  in  oblivion. 


*Mr.  Denizen    H.  Filipowski  has   furnished    useful    information 
towards   the   preparation    of  this    sketch  of  his  father's  life. 


72  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

At  different  periods  in  this  century  the  endeavors 
of  men  like  Dukes,  Blumenfeld,  and  Goldberg,  un- 
earthed what  proved  of  value.  But  that  which  was 
brought  forth  served  only  to  excite  a  keen  wish 
for  seeing  more.  To  gratify  that  laudable  desire  an 
organization,  known  as  the  Hebrew  Antiquarian  So- 
ciety, engaged  the  capacities  of  a  learned  Israelite 
— Herschell  Filipowski.  He  ransacked  libraries,  and 
availing  himself  of  the  light  which  his  predecessors 
— principally  Prof.  Luzzatto — had  furnished,  drew  out 
a  volume  of  primary  importance  in  the  history  of 
Biblical  exegesis.  It  was  the  work  of  no  less  a 
writer  than  Menahem  Ben  Saruk.  Mr.  Filipowski 
arranged  it  in  a  complete  form,  and  made  it  still 
more  interesting  by  his  abridged  English  version, 
and  by  the  narrative  of  a  stirring  episode  in  the 
life  of  the  Spanish  author.  The  scholar  of  our  day 
who  labored  so  acceptably  is  the  subject  of  the 
remarks   here    appended. 

Herschell  Filipowski  was  born  in  Poland,  in 
1 8 17.  He  gave  early  promise  of  attaining  an  eminent 
position.  When  only  fifteen,  he  published  "An 
Almanac  for  One  Hundred  Years,"  both  in  the 
Polish  and  Russian  tongues.  In  1840  he  went  to 
England,  and  received  the  appointment  of  Teacher 
of  Hebrew  and  Oriental  Languages  in  the  Jews' 
College,  Finsbury  Square.  Subsequently,  he  became 
connected  w;th  the  Colonial  and  Standard  Life  Offices 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  73 

of  Edinburgh,  remaining  in  that  city  a  number 
of  years.  It  was  during  his  residence  in  the  cap- 
ital of  Scotland,  that  Mr.  Filipowski  issued  some 
excellent    works. 

Our  author  brought  out,  in  1849,  a  production 
that  secured  his  fame  among  Actuaries,  namely,  that 
on  Anti-Logarithms.  This  was  followed,  in  1854, 
by  a  condensed  translation  of  "  The  First  Hebrew 
and  Chaldaic  Lexicon  to  the  Old  Testament,"  in- 
dited in  the  tenth  century  by  Menahem  Ben  Saruk, 
to  which  allusion  has  already  been  made;  in  1857, 
by  a  rendition  into  English,  from  the  Latin,  of 
"Napier's  Canon  of  Logarithms";  and,  in  1864  and 
1866,  by  an  edition,  in  two  volumes,  of  "Baily's 
Doctrine  of  Life  Annuities  and  Assurances."  The 
Actuarial  Magazine,  a  monthly,  devoted  to  tables  of 
different  kinds,  was  edited  by  Mr.'  Filipowski  for  a 
short  time.  An  extensive  knowledge  of  typography 
proved  of  great  service  in  the  publication  of  his 
works.  The  industrious  laborer  invented  a  font  of 
Hebrew  type,  with  points  attached  to  each  letter, 
from  which  a  Hebrew  and  English  Prayer-book  was 
printed   in   1862. 

Mr.  Filipowski  made  another  journalistic  attempt 
in  1867,  when  The  Hebrew  National  appeared.  In 
a  short  existence  of  six  months,  it  presented  articles 
from  the  pens  of  many  well-known  scholars,  besides 
the  contributions  of  its   talented  editor.     But  its  dis- 


74  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

continuance  did  not  put  an  end  to  the  unceasing 
exertions  of  Mr.  Filipowski.  He  published  a  num- 
ber of  productions  in  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic,  and 
shortly  before  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  12th 
of  July,  1872,  he  had  completed  a  "  Hebrew  and 
Roman  Almanac,"  from  the  year  1  A.  C.  E.  to 
perpetuity.  This  book  exhibits  a  vast  amount  of 
learning  and  tact,  as  a  mere  glance  will  reveal.  The 
date  of  any  event,  together  with  other  instructive 
matter,  can  be  found  therein,  thus  making  the 
volume  almost  indispensable. 

Mr.  Filipowski's  linguistic  powers  may  be  judged 
from  the  assertion  that  he  was  conversant  with 
Polish,  Russian,  Latin,  Hebrew,  Arabic,  Spanish, 
French,  English,  German  and  Chinese.  But  believ- 
ing that  great  advantages  in  the  relations  of  man- 
kind would  be  derived  from  a  universal  language, 
he  urged  its  adoption  in  his  various  writings.  The 
idea,  certainly  Utopian,  evinces,  nevertheless,  a  spirit 
of  benevolence  and  broad  humanitarianism. 


ACHILLE  FOULD. 

Modern    governments  have   not  failed  to    notice, 
the  tact  and  skill  characteristic   of  the   Jew.     High 
offices  of  trust  have  therefore  been  confided  to  mem- 
bers  of  •  the    ancient    race,    and    the    integrity   and 
sagacity    displayed     in    the    discharge    thereof,    en- 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  75 

sured  a  share  of  respect,  proportionate  to  the  respon- 
sibilities of  the  positions.  Before  our  vision  stands 
a  Hebrew  who  was  justly  recognized  as  a  leading 
financier  and  statesman.  For  the  most  intricate 
questions,  relative  to  the  stability  of  a  government, 
were  unravelled  and  settled  by  his  keen  discern- 
ment. 

Achille  Fould  was  born  at  Paris,  France,  Nov- 
vember  17th,  1800.  He  early  associated  with  his 
father  in  the  banking  business, '  which  he  afterwards 
managed  alone.  Besides  receiving  a  very  careful 
and  varied  education,  he  travelled  for  self-improve- 
ment through  portions  of  Europe  and  the  East.  A 
lover  of  the  beautiful,  he  spent  some  time  in  Italy, 
and  visited  the  Eastern  coasts  of  the  Mediterran- 
ean, to  develop  his  knowledge  of  the  fine  arts. 

M.  Fould  entered  political  life  in  1842,  as  a 
member  of  the  Chamber  of  Deputies  for  the  de- 
partment of  Tarbes.  In  that  body  he  became  a 
conspicuous  figure  from  his  thorough  acquaintance  with 
economical  and  financial  matters.  He  secured  a  re- 
election in  1846,  and  two  years  later  sat  in  the 
Constituent  Assembly.  He  acquiesced  in  the  Revo- 
lution of  1848,  and  his  ideas  on  finance  exercised 
a  decided  weight  on  the  then  Provisional  Govern- 
ment. 

Under  the  presidency  of  Louis  Napoleon,  M. 
Fould  was  four  times  Minister  of  Finance.     He  took 


y6  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

a  leading  part  in  the  movements  to  reform  com- 
merce. His  disagreements  with  the  president,  how- 
ever, led  him  twice  to  retire  from  office,  but  he 
was  each  time  re-appointed.  Strongly  opposed  to 
free  trade,  and  firm  in  his  conservative  tendencies, 
he  hailed  the  establishment  of  the  new  Empire. 
On  the  25th  of  January,  1852,  in  consequence  of 
the  decree  confiscating  the  property  of  the  Orleans 
family,  M.  Fould  relinquished  the  ministry  of  finance, 
but  he  was,  on  the  same  day,  made  Senator,  and, 
soon  after,  he  rejoined  the  Government,  as  Minister 
of  State,  and  of  the  Imperial  Household.  In  that 
capacity,  he  directed  the  Paris  Exhibition  of  1855. 
The  events  of  November,  i860,  urged  him  once 
more  to  resign,  but  he  was  recalled  to  the  ministry 
of  finance,  in  November  of  the  following  year.  On 
the  promulgation  of  the  order  of  the  19th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1867,  making  changes  in  the  administration  of 
affairs,  he  retired  from  office,  and  did  not  thereaf- 
ter accept  any  position. 

While  in  the  Cabinet,  M.  Fould  reduced  the 
floating  debt,  which  the  Mexican  war  had  increased, 
by  the  negotiation  ot  a  loan  of  three  hundred  mil- 
lions of  francs.  Whatever  his  political  proclivities 
may  have  been,  none  will  deny  that  he  discharged 
his  duties  with  zeal  and  fidelity. 

M.  Fould  was  created  a  Commander  of  the  Le- 
gion  of  Honor  in    1852,  and   an   honorary  member 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  JJ 

of  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  in  1857.  During 
his  public  career,  he  issued  several  pamphlets  on 
finance,  of  which  may  be  mentioned  Pas  a"  As- 
sign ats,  and  Opinion  de  M.  A.  Fould  sur  les  As- 
signats,  both  against  the  use  of  paper  money.  He 
died  at  Tarbes,  France,  October  5  th,   1867. 

The  various  monetary  schemes  and  other  public 
measures  introduced  by  M.  Fould  have  been  attended 
with  the  happiest  results,  both  in  contributing  to  the 
prosperity  of  his  native  country,  and  in  extending  his 
fame  as  a  financier  of  exceptional  ability. 

ADOLPHE   FRANCK. 

Philosophy,  in  its  literal  definition,  is  coeval  with 
human  thought.  The  mind  has  always  gone  in  search 
of  wisdom.  But  the  introduction  of  the  term  in  its 
multifarious  applications  is  due  to  the  Greeks.  To 
attempt  to  define  at  present  the  meaning  which  that 
word  conveys,  would  be  to  engage  in  a  description 
of  all  that  is  known  and  knowable  of  the  heavens 
above,  and  of  the  earth  beneath.  There  was,  in- 
deed, a  period,  in  which  the  world  regarded  one 
single  individual  as  having  compassed  all,  and  hav- 
ing given,  not  merely  an  outline  of  the  learning 
implied  by  philosophy,  but  a  full  and  unquestionable 
delineation.  Aristotle  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing the  very  quintessence  of  wisdom.     Any   branch 


78  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

of  science,  treated  in  a  manner  at  variance  with 
that  of  the  Stagirite,  had  perforce  to  be  declared 
faulty.  But  the  sceptre  of  even  that  monarch  of  know- 
ledge passed  into  the  hands  of  others,  who,  in  their 
turn,  wielded  it  with  more  or  less  pretension.  What 
then  is  philosophy;  or  which  branch  thereof  can  lay 
claim  to  perfection?  The  question  grows  more  per- 
plexing every  day.  Its  solution  will  long  remain 
problematic. 

Herein  is  presented  the  record  of  an  eclectic  phil- 
osopher, who,  nothwithstanding  the  mystical  nature 
of  some  of  the  subjects  discussed,  writes  with  ele- 
gance  and   perspicuity. 

Prof.  Adolphe  Franck,  was  born  at  Liocourt,  in 
the  department  of  Meurthe,  France,  October  9th, 
1809.  At  Nancy  and  Toulouse  he  pursued  studies 
with  signal  success.  Determined  to  become  an  in- 
structor, possessed,  in  every  way,  of  the  necessary 
qualifications,  he  held  fast  to  his  industrious  habits, 
and  at  the  examination  in  1832,  he  obtained  the 
highest  average  in  philosophy,  over  many  competi- 
tors.    This  achievement  added   strength  to  his  will. 

Franck  taught  for  a  while  in  provincial  towns. 
But  such  abilities  as  he  commanded,  could  not  be 
cramped.  They  must  be  allowed  free  scope.  The 
man's   writings   soon    made   him  famous. 

In  1840  M.  Franck  was  called  to  Paris,  as  Pro- 
fessor of  Philosophy  at  Charlemagne  College.     Alive 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  79 

to  the  importance  of  the  position,  he  applied  him- 
self to  deeper  studies,  and  with  so  much  diligence, 
that  it  occasioned  a  severe  illness,  which  forced  a 
withdrawal  from  active  duties  in  1843,  and  a  de- 
mand for  relaxation  in  sunny  Italy.  Prior  to  this 
untoward  event,  M.  Franck  had  been  appointed  to  a 
high  office  in  the  Royal  Library.  He  devoted  his 
leisure  hours  to  meditation  and  authorship.  Several 
literary  productions  tended  to  his  being  chosen  a 
member  of  the  Academy  of  Moral  and  Political  Sci- 
ences, in  1844.  Restored  to  health,  he  returned  home, 
and  undertook,  in  conjuction  with  others,  the  publica- 
tion of  "  The  Dictionary  of  Philosophical  Sciences," 
in  six  volumes — 1844-' 5  2,  an  erudite  and  valuable 
work,  in  which  many  excellent  articles  emanate  from 
the    subject   of  this   sketch. 

Having  taught  social  science  with  success,  M. 
Franck  was  requested  by  M.  Barthelemy,  in  1849, 
to  substitute  him  as  Saint  Hilaire  Professor  of  Greek 
and  Latin  Philosophy  in  the  College  of  France. 
This  post  he  occupied  until  1852.  In  1854  he  was 
selected  to  fill  the  Chair  of  International  Law  in 
the  same  institution,  though  he  did  not  receive  the 
degree  of  Professor  until  1856.  He  still  adorns  that 
station,  and  the  inestimable  services  rendered,  have 
met  with  the  entire  appreciation  of  his  associates, 
and  the  community  at  large.  The  capacities  of  M. 
Franck    must   have    been    obviously   manifest,    since 


80  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

he  could,  in  the  midst  of  an  assemblage  of  literati, 
earn  so  decisive  a  triumph. 

M.  Franck's  earnest  endeavors  as  a  teacher,  and 
his  frequent  publications,  illustrate  his  activity.  The 
Professor  is  identified  with  the  eclectic  school  of  philo- 
sophy. His  doctrines  cannot,  therefore,  strictly  claim 
originality,  but  they  are  advanced  in  a  clear  diction, 
as  the  results  of  conscientious  meditations,  and  they 
evince  sincerity  in  the  expression  of  opinions  long 
entertained.  In  addition  to  the  articles  furnished  the 
Journal  des  D'ebats,  and  the  Annals  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Sciences,  and  essays  on  Thomas  Moore,  Bo- 
din,  Machiavelli,  and  other  noted  personages,  the 
following  works  have  proceeded  from  his  pen :  "  A 
Sketch  of  the  History  of  Logic"— 1838;  "The  Cab- 
bala, or  Religious  Philosophy  of  the  Hebrews " — 
1843,  a  production  in  which  the  author's  tendencies 
are  distinctly  shown,  and  which  has  been  translated 
into  German  by  the  celebrated  scholar,  Dr.  Adolph 
Jellinek  of  Vienna ;  "  Communism  Judged  by  His- 
tory" — 1849,  wherein  the  ideas  set  forth  by  vision- 
aries meet  a  vigorous  opposition ;  "  Philosophy  of 
Penal  Laws" — 1864;  "Philosophy  of  Ecclesiastical 
Laws" — 1864;  "Mystic  Philosophy  in  France  to- 
wards the  Close  of  the  Eighteenth  Century" — 1866; 
etc.,  etc. 

For  two  decades,  Prof.  Franck  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the    Superior    Council    of  Public    Instruction. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  8 1 

As  Vice-President  of  the  Israelitish  Consistory  at  Paris, 
he  displayed  much  interest  in  the  workings  of  that 
body,  but  resigned  his  position  in  1873.  The  dec- 
oration of  the  Legion  of  Honor  was  conferred  on 
the  Professor  in  1869. 

The  noble  son  of  France  is  still  concerned  in  the 
welfare  of  his  brethren.  What  inures  to  their  spirit- 
ual benefit,  can  never  cease  to  excite  the  sympathy 
of  him  whose  labors  have  so  eminently  contributed 
to   raise  their  social  standing. 

ZACHARIAS  FRANKEL. 

A  difficult  task  would  it  be,  to  portray  the  char- 
acteristics of  a  man  whose  depth  of  intellect  and  im- 
mense practical  knowledge,  placed  him  on  a  level 
with  the  most  renowned  scholars  of  his  day.  But  not- 
withstanding this  fact,  to  remain  altogether  silent, 
might  justly  be  deemed  an  unpardonable  omission. 
Our  inability  to  rise  equal  to  the  subject  must  se- 
cure the  indulgence  of  the  public,  in  the  little  that 
will  be  related  of  the  literary  merits  and  personal 
traits  of  an  honored  Israelite. 

Dr.  Zacharias  Frankel  was  born  at  Prague,  in  Bo- 
hemia, Austria,  on.  the  1st  of  October,  180 1,  of  a 
family  noted  for  piety  and  erudition.  He  early  show- 
ed a  strong  desire  for  mental  culture,  and,  when  but 
a  lad,  his  training    in   Jewish    lore    gained   him    the 


82  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

reputation  of  a  Talmudist.  Young  Frankel's  atten- 
tion, however,  was  not  given  solely  to  the  Tal- 
mud. He  frequented  the  Gymnasium,  where  clas- 
sical literature  occupied  his  time  and  thoughts.  At 
the  University  of  Pesth,  he  principally  studied  mathe- 
matics, thus  completing  the  course,  and  in  1831  he 
received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy. 

In  1832  Dr.  Frankel  was  chosen  District-Rabbi 
of  Leitmeritz,  in  Bohemia,  where  he  first  introduced 
preaching  in  the  German  language;  and,  in  1836, 
Chief  Rabbi  of  Dresden  and  Leipsic.  His  active 
labors  now  began.  The  Jews  of  Dresden,  besides 
suffering  from  political  disabilities,  stood  greatly  in 
need  of  enlightenment  in  their  own  faith.  Frankel 
not  only  became  their  spiritual  guide,  but  he  pub- 
licly defended  their  cause,  and  with  so  much  vigor, 
that  he  obtained  for  them  their  rights  as  citizens. 
His  work,  "  The  Jewish  Oath  from  a  Theological  and 
Historical  Standpoint,"  published  in  1840,  wherein 
he  calls  upon  the  authorities  to  judge  equitably, 
and  not  from  ill-formed  opinions,  at  the  same  time 
making  an  earnest  appeal  for  freedom,  had  an  im- 
portant effect  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  noble 
purpose.  Another  production,  entitled :  "  The  Mo- 
saic-Talmudic  Law  of  Evidence,"  brought  forth  in  1846, 
strongly  rebukes  and  condemns  the  practice  of  de- 
claring it  illegal  for  a  Jew  to  be  witness  in  a  case, 
or  take  an  oath  in  court. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  83 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Frankel's  first  efforts 
were  used  to  procure  full  equality  for  his  co-relig- 
ionists. Having  won  this  victory,  he  turned  to  the 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  the  Jews  of  Dres- 
den. He  found  that  the  want  of  educational  insti- 
tutions, was  the  main  cause  of  their  unsettled  state. 
But  Frankel,  never  tiring,  soon  roused  his  fellow- 
believers  to  a  sense  of  their  duty.  Ere  long,  a  Syna- 
gogue was  erected,  and  dedicated  to  God's  worship, 
in  the  presence  of  many  who  had  formerly  shown 
their  hostility  to  Judaism,  but  whose  opinions,  through 
the  benign  influence  of  Zacharias  Frankel,  had  un- 
dergone a  decided  change.  The  valuable  assistance 
rendered  to  Frankel,  by  his  friend  Dr.  Bernhard 
Beer,  must  not  be  overlooked,  for  it  greatly  en- 
couraged the  former,  in  the  carrying  out  of  his 
schemes. 

Dr.  Frankel's  labors  in  the  field  of  Jewish  theo- 
logy and  literature,  have  principally  built  up  his 
world-wide  fame.  Profound  thoughts  and  a  complete 
mastery  of  the  subject,  are  revealed  in  every  one  of 
his  writings.  Thus,  for  example,  his  work  on  the 
Septuagint,  in  which  he  traces  the  origin,  development 
and  character  of  Jewish  law,  evinces  patient  research, 
and  wonderful  acquaintance  with  ancient  and  modern 
literature.  This  production  earned  for  him  an  envi- 
able reputation  in  learned  circles.  In  1844  Frankel 
started,  conjointly  with  others,  the  Magazine  for  the 


84  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Religious  biter ests  of  Judaism,  which,  though  it  lasted 
but  three  years,  contained  articles  of  great  merit, 
from  the  pens  of  acknowledged  scholars.  In  1852 
the  Monatschrift  first  appeared,  and  continued  under 
Dr.  Frankel's  management  until  1868,  when  Prof. 
Dr.  H.  Graetz,  the  great  historian,  assumed  the  editor- 
ship. In  the  second  year  of  the  Monatsclirift,  Dr. 
Frankel  issued  a  call  for  the  establishment  of  a  Jew- 
ish College.  This  led  to  his  appointment  in  1854 
as  Director  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Breslau, 
in  Silesia,  Prussia,  an  institution  erected  through 
the  munificence  of  Jonas  Fraenckel. 

All  agreed  as  to  the  excellence  of  the  choice, 
and  that  the  public  voice  confirmed  it,  may  be 
shown  by  the  fact  that,  in  a  short  time,  Frankel 
had  endeared  himself  both  to  professors  and  stu- 
dents. It  would  fill  many  pages  to  speak  of  his 
activity  at  the  Breslau  Seminary;  how  he  raised 
the  standard  and  usefulness  of  that  seat  of  learn- 
ing, until  it  became  as  famous  as  its  Director. 
But  we  may  still  name  a  few  of  the  important 
works,  written  during  this  period.  Dr.  Frankel 
brought  forth  "The  Palestinian  and  Alexandrian 
Bible  Criticism,"  in  1859,  and  "  Mosaic-Talmudic 
Marriage  Laws,"  in  i860.  There  also  appeared  his 
"  Introduction  to  the  Mishna,"  written  in  Hebrew, 
and  a  "  Sketch  of  the  History  of  the  Literature  of 
Post-Talmudic    Decisions."     But  his   most   extensive 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  85 

labor  was  accomplished  in  his  old  age,  viz. :  "  In- 
troduction to  the  Jerusalem  Talmud,"  in  Hebrew, 
published  in  1870;  followed,  in  1874,  by  the 
first  part  of  said  Talmud  with  exhaustive  commen- 
taries. The  introduction  to  the  second  part  was 
finished  the  day  prior  to  Frankel's  death.  For  ob- 
vious reasons,  no  attempt  has  been  made  here  to 
give   a  notice   of  these    remarkable  writings. 

Dr.  Frankel,  liberal  in  his  views,  held  firmly  to 
historical  Judaism.  He  battled,  however,  against 
bigots,  as  well  as  radicals,  for  he  accepted  the  tenets 
without  superstition,  and  without  new  notions  en- 
grafted thereon.  Nevertheless,  Frankel  was  looked 
upon  with  reverential  esteem  by  all  parties,  and 
the  teachings  of  the  Sage  were  reflected  in  the 
ardor  of  his  students. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1875,  tne  earthly  pil- 
grimage of  Zacharias  Frankel  suddenly  ended.  He 
went  to  rest  on  the  Sabbath,  a  proper  day  for  the 
righteous  to  be  translated  to  the  land  of  spirits. 
Of  all  those  representatives  of  Israel's  glory  who 
have  departed  from  this  sublunary  scene  within  the 
last  quarter  of  a  century,  we  do  not  think  there 
has  been  one  more  lamented  than  Zacharias 
Frankel,  whose  vast  acquirements  and  many  virtues 
have  reserved  for  him  a  golden  page  in  the  history 
of  his  people. 


"86  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

LUDWIG    AUGUST    FRANKL. 

"  What  comes  from  the  heart  goes  to  the  heart," 
is  a  trite  adage.  In  any  language  which  man  may 
choose  for  expressing  his  thoughts,  he  will  sway  mul- 
titudes, when  the  utterances  of  his  lips  bear  the 
impress  of  earnestness.  But  if  the  speaker  or  writer 
can  clothe  his  words  in  the  golden  garb  of  poe- 
try, that  is,  if  he  can  borrow  from  nature  illustra- 
tions which  give  his  feelings  a  life-like  aspect,  the 
effect  will  be  electrical.  For  a  sympathetic  current 
is  thus  opened  that  reaches  and  stirs  the  very  soul. 
Truly,  such  emotional  language  may  dispense  with 
th£  accompaniment  of  rhythm ;  flowing  verses  can- 
not lend  it  vigor.  Yet,  an  inexplicable  leaning  to 
a  metrical  form  seems  innate  in  man.  For,  like 
song,  it  possesses  a  softening  influence. 

Hebrews  of  Teutonic  nations,  whose  achievements 
in  literature  in  the  present  age  have  few  parallels 
in  history,  can  also  boast  of  their  poets  who  know 
how  to  embalm  their  sublime  ideas  in  sweet 
rhymes.  Among  those  who  have  excelled,  Ludwig 
August  Frankl  may  worthily  be  mentioned. 

Herr  Frankl  was  born  at  Chrast,  in  Bohemia, 
Austria,  on  the  3d  of  February,  18 10.  Thirsting 
for  knowledge,  he  travelled  to  Italy  and  pursued 
medical  studies.  On  the  completion  of  his  course, 
in   1837,  he   received  a   diploma,   bearing   testimony 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  87 

to  high  qualifications.  The  newly-recognized  phys- 
ician did  not,  however,  exclusively  confine  himself 
to  the  practice  of  his  profession.  A  yearning  for 
journalism  led  him  to  seize  the  pen,  which  he  could 
so  gracefully  wield. 

Frankl  rendered  valuable  services  as  Secretary 
and  Archivist  of  the  Hebrew  community  in  Vienna. 
His  cultured  and  richly-endowed  mind  was  daily 
dispensing  of  its  resources.  How  fitting  that  he  who 
had  shown  intense  love  for  the  beautiful,  should  be 
chosen  Professor  of  ^Esthetics  in  the  city  of  his  resid- 
ence. But  in  the  East,  whose  historic  associations 
possess  a  magnetic  influence,  Frankl  devised  plans 
for  the  elevation  of  the  lowly.  Beholding  the  state 
of  abjection  into  which  his  fellow-believers  of  the 
Holy  Land  had  sunk,  through  untoward  circum- 
stances, he  opened  a  school  in  Jerusalem.  The  pitiful 
condition  of  those  Hebrews,  owing  to  misgovernment 
and  internal  dissensions,  is  graphically  depicted  in 
his  Nach  Jerusalem,  which  appeared  in  1858.  An- 
other work  on  the  Hebrews  of  the  Orient,  entitled 
Aus  ALgypten,  was  published  in    1 860. 

Of  Frankl's  productions,  his  short  poem,  Die  Uni- 
versitdt,  deserves  special  attention.  It  came  out  in 
1 848,  immediately  after  the  abolition  of  the  censorship 
in  Austria,  and  so  eager  was  the  desire  to  read  it, 
that,  within  a  short  period,  five  hundred  thousand 
copies  were  sold.     Zur  Geschichte  der  Juden  in  Wieny 


88  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

on  the  history  of  the  Jews  in  Vienna,  in  two  volumes, 
was  issued  in  i847-'53.  An  anonymous  writing, 
Magyar  enkbnig,  in  1850,  made  Frankl  very  popular 
with  the  Hungarians,  whose  defence  he  undertook; 
but  the  Austrian  authorities  in  Pesth,  destroyed  the 
edition.  Ahnenbilder  and  Libanon,  two  later  works, 
include  poems,  descriptive  of  the  author's  impressions 
of  the  East.  Helden  und Lie der buck,  (Hero  and  Song- 
Book)  contains  short  pieces. 

Frankl's  epic  poems,  Cristoforo  Colombo,  Don  Juan 
d  'Austria,  and  Der  Primator,  confessedly  deserve  to 
take  a  stand  among  the  finest  of  that  class.  They 
mirror  forth  the  spirit  of  a  poet.  Grandeur  of  con- 
ception, and  elegance  of  diction,  are  discernible 
throughout.  » 

Herr  Frankl  has  translated  into  German,  several 
of  the  lofty  creations  of  Moore  and  Byron ;  and  also 
some  Servian  ballads,  under  the  title  of  Gusle. 

The  compatriots  of  Ludwig  August  Frankl  have 
paid  homage  to  a  prolific  writer.  The  volumes,  with 
which  his  versatility  increased  the  size  of  modern 
literature,  have  found  a  place,  in  different  versions,  in 
private  and  public  libraries.  But  every  one  who  has 
formed  an  acquaintance  with  the  German  language, 
should  seek  the  original  to  obtain  the  instruction  and 
recreation  which  Frankl's  works  readily  offer. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  89 

JULIUS  FURST. 

A  dire  dispersion  has  not  impaired  Israel's  mental 
vigor.  Under  the  most  distressing  circumstances 
the  intellect  has  asserted  its  supremacy.  But  the 
growth  and  expansion  of  knowledge  have  been  singu- 
larly noticeable  during  the  present  age.  A  matchless 
band  of  scholars  have  enlarged  the  Temple  of  Fame 
within  late  years.  We  survey  the  spot,  and  find 
Julius  Fiirst  occupying  a  lofty  seat.  Thus  are  we 
led  to  relate  the  following  incidents. 

Dr.  Julius  Fiirst  was  born  at  Zerkowo,  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Posen,  Prussian  Poland,  on  the  12th  of  May, 
1805.  Designed  for  a  Rabbi,  he  studied  the  Bible 
and  Talmud  with  energy  and  zeal,  so  that  when  very 
young,  he  had  gained  an  extensive  acquaintance  with 
the  language  of  the  Scriptures,  and  with  the  writings 
of  the  Sages.  At  fifteen,  he  entered  the  Berlin  gym- 
nasium, whence  he  passed  to  the  University  in  1825. 
But  pecuniary  troubles  forced  him  to  return  home, 
long  before  the  completion  of  his  studies.  To  satisfy 
pressing  wants,  he  accepted  the  position  of  teacher 
in  the  Jewish  school  of  his  native  city.  But  the 
bigotry  of  the  Hassidim  and  the  intolerance  of  the 
ultra-Rabbinists  made  the  young  man  disgusted  with 
his  surroundings. 

In  1827  Fiirst  went  to  Breslau,  where  he  resumed 
his  collegiate  course,  and  pursued  theology  and  On- 


90  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

ental  philology.  He  removed  to  Halle  in  1839,  and 
listened  to  the  erudite  elucidations  of  Gesenius,  Weg- 
scheider,  and  Tholuck.  Taking  up  his  residence  at 
Leipsic,  he  gave  private  instruction  until  1839,  when 
his  talents  were  requited  by  an  appointment  as  lec- 
turer in  the  University. 

A  wide  field  was  now  open  to  our  scholar,  and 
he  made  practical  use  of  his  learning,  by  sowing 
broadcast  the  seeds  of  knowledge.  So  faithfully  did 
he  discharge  his  duties,  giving  sure  evidences  of  vast 
attainments,  that  his  election  as  a  professor  followed 
in  1869.     He  filled  this  post  until  his  death. 

Dr.  Fiirst,  while  laboring  for  a  livelihood,  brought 
forth  his  different  productions.  These  have  emi- 
nently contributed  to  enhance  Hebrew  literature, 
and  they  are  invaluable  to  a  student,  by  reason  of 
the  variety  of  essential  topics  treated.  A  passing 
allusion  will  have  to  suffice.  The  first  part  of  Lehr- 
gebdude  der  Aramdischen  Idiome,  on  the  Aramaic 
idioms,  a  work  which  remained  incomplete,  appeared 
in  1835.  From  1837  to  1840,  Fiirst  was  engaged 
upon  his  Concordantice,  an  excellent  edition  of  Bux- 
torf's  Hebrew  and  Chaldee  Concordance,  with  val- 
uable appendices,  in  the  preparation  of  which  he 
was  greatly  assisted  by  Delitsch.  In  1851  he 
issued  Hebrdisches  u.  Chalddisches  Handwbrterbiicli , 
(Hebrew  and  Chaldaic  Dictionary)  which  has  been 
translated    into    English    by    Dr.    Samuel    Davidson. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  9 1 

This  work  possesses  much  merit,  and  the  method 
adopted  respecting  the  roots  of  words,  is  generally 
accepted  by  scholars.  It  is  a  needed  addition  to 
Bibliography.  Geschichte  des  Kardertlmms,  (History 
of  the  Karaites)  came  out  in  1 865  ;  and  Geschichte 
der  Biblischen  Literatur  und  des  Judisch-Hellenischen 
Schriftthums,  (History  of  Biblical  Literature,  and  of 
Jewish  Hellenistic  Writings),  begun  in  1867,  was 
finished  in  1 870.  Dr.  Fiirst  also  edited  a  valuable 
Bibliotheca  Jndaica,  from  1849  to  1863,  and  he  was 
the  author  of  several  other  works  of  minor  impor- 
tance. From  1840  to  185 1,  he  conducted  Der 
Orient,  a  journal  devoted  to  the  language,  literature, 
history  and  antiquities  of  the  Jews. 

The  entire  literary  career  of  Dr.  Fiirst  was  a 
triumph  to  learning.  Not  only  as  a  Hebraist,  but 
as  an  Orientalist  and  a  master  of  abstruse  sciences, 
the  subject  of  our  sketch  can  worthily  be  numbered 
with  the  Munks,  the  Renans,  the  Opperts,  and  the 
Lenormants. 

The  earthly  labors  of  Julius  Fiirst  terminated 
on  the  9th  of  February,  1873,  at  Leipsic,  in  Saxony, 
Germany. 

The  above  account,  though  brief,  will,  it  is  hoped, 
fulfil  a  purpose ;  that  of  urging  the  reader  to  search 
into  the  rich  literature  of  modern  Hebrews.  Then 
will  he  be  truly  convinced  of  the  debt  of  gratitude 
owed  to  Dr.  Fiirst,  and  of  the  fittingness  of  holding 
his  memory  in  profound  reverence. 


92  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ABRAHAM  GEIGER. 

Great  among  the  greatest,  for  originality  of 
thought  and  masterly  ability  in  treating  a  variety 
of  subjects,  is  Abraham  Geiger.  An  imperishable 
evidence  of  the  depth  of  his  understanding  and 
versatility  of  his  powers,  he  has  left  in  works  upon 
which  scholars  will  long  ponder,  not  only  for  the 
broad  knowledge  they  disclose  of  Hebrew  literature, 
but  also  for  the  insight  into  Semitic  languages  that 
the  author  affords  the  student.  The  many  inci- 
dents which  attended  the  career  of  Dr.  Geiger, 
would  suffice  to  justify  a  notice,  though  our  endeav- 
ors will  be  mainly  directed  to  offer  a  faint  repre- 
sentation of  the  literary  productions  which  serve  as 
eternal  testimonies  of  his  worth. 

Dr.  Abraham  Geiger  was  born  at  Frankfort-on- 
the-Main,  on  the  24th  day  of  May,  1 8 10.  Bible  and 
Talmud  formed  his  chief  studies  in  early  life.  After- 
wards, he  attended  a  Gymnasium,  whence  he  pro- 
ceeded to  the  University  of  Heidelberg,  and  com- 
pleted his  course  at  the  University  of  Bonn.  At 
the  latter  institution,  he  gained  distinction  by  his 
essay,  "  What  has  Mohammed  borrowed  from  Juda- 
ism ?",  which  was  awarded  the  philosophical  prize, 
and  deemed  worthy  of  being  published, — as  it  was 
in  1833 — under  the  auspices  of  the  Faculty.  In  this 
critical  dissertation,  a  thorough  searching  mind  mani- 
fests itself. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  93 

In  1832  Dr.  Geiger  received  a  Rabbinical  call 
from  Wiesbaden,  which  he  accepted,  and  became 
Rabbi  successively  at  Breslau,  in  1838,  at  his  native 
city,  in   1863,  and  at  Berlin,  in   1869. 

From  his  very  entrance  into  maturity,  Dr.  Geiger 
identified  himself  with  the  party  designing  to  reform 
the  Jewish  Synagogue,  the  ritual,  and  laws  and 
customs.  With  the  history  of  that  movement  we 
have  no  immediate  concern,  but  it  must  here  be 
stated,  that,  although  Dr.  Geiger  favored  it  and  gave 
it  a  fresh  impetus,  he  did  not  sanction  an  entire  di- 
vorce from  the  traditions  of  the  past.  He  did  not 
cross  the  boundary  beyond  which  Nihilism  rules. 
The  doctrines  he  propounded  brought  him,  however, 
as  large  a  share  of  adherents  as  of  opponents. 
Maintaining  the  stand  he  took  with  dignity,  strength- 
ened in  it,  no  doubt,  by  his  mode  of  interpreting 
the  written  and  oral  law,  he  nevertheless  refused  to 
become  preacher  of  the  Reform  Congregation  at 
Berlin,  that  body  having  advanced  a  step  farther 
than  what  he  deemed  advisable  or  practicable. 

Dr.  Geiger  did  not  attempt  to  foist  his  opinions 
on  the  community.  Rather  than  act  singly,  he  urged 
a  uniformity,  based  on  the  decision  of  an  ecclesiast- 
ical court.  Accordingly,  his  influence  brought  about 
a  convention  of  Rabbis  -at  Brunswick,  in  1844;  a 
second  followed  at  Frankfort,  in  1847;  and  a  third 
at  Breslau,  some  time  after.     At  the  conference  held 


94  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

at  the  last-named  city  he  presided,  and  the  results 
of  the  deliberations  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  sys- 
tem now  in  vogue  in  many  places  of  Jewish  worship. 

Frequently  was  Dr.  Geiger  obliged  to  use  both 
pen  and  pulpit  to  shield  his  views  from  bitter 
attacks.  This  circumstance,  coupled  with  the  fact 
that  the  functions  of  a  Rabbi  are  onerous,  might 
have  exempted  the  Doctor  from  accomplishing  aught 
else.  Must  one  not  wonder  then  at  the  immensity 
of  his  literary  labors  ?  The  subjoined  account  has 
much  significance,  as  a  sign  of  human  indefatigability. 

From  1835  to  1847  Dr.  Geiger  edited  his  Mag- 
azine for  Jewish  Theology ',  one  of  the  ablest  expon- 
ents of  learning,  among  all  publications  of  that  na- 
ture throughout  Europe.  Suspended  awhile,  it  was 
taken  up  again  in  1861,  and  it  continued  to  appear 
until  1874. 

But  we  wish  to  refer  briefly  to  some  of  the 
Rabbi's  multifarious  works.  Besides  numerous  arti- 
cles on  Rabbinical  literature,  contributed  to  Hebrew 
periodicals,  and  other  writings  for  papers,  circulated 
in  the  vernacular  tongue,  he  adorned  the  Journal  of 
the  German  Oriental  Society,  with  those  learned 
delineations  of  his  pen,  which  specially  present  to 
view  Syriac  lexicography  and  Samaritan  literature. 
Concerning  his  capacity  in  the  latter  subject,  Dr. 
Adolph  Neubauer  remarks,  "  he  was,  doubtless,  the 
highest  living  authority."     Great,  indeed,  must  have 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  95 

been  the  merits  of  the  man,  whose  labors  so  emin- 
ent a  scholar  illimitably  prizes.  His  acknowledged 
abilities  as  a  Talmudist,  won  him  the  respect  and 
friendship  of  savants. 

Monographs  on  Maimonides,  on  the  exegetical 
school  of  the  Rabbis  in  the  north  of  France,  and 
on  other  Jewish  celebrities  of  the  Middle  Ages,  on 
Elias  del  Medigo  and  Leon  de  Modena,  were  issued 
at  different  periods.  His  work  on  the  Karaite  "  Isaac 
Troki,  the  Apologist  of  Judaism,  at  the  close  of  the 
Sixteenth  Century,"  was  published  in  1853.  .  In  a 
"  Translation  of  the  Divan  of  the  Castilians  of  Abul 
Hassan  Jehudah  Halevy,"  with  a  commentary  and  a 
biographical  notice,  and  in  "  Solomon  ibn  Gabirol," 
Geiger  evinced  his  poetic  genius  and  talent  as  an 
interpreter  of  some  of  the  grand  effusions  of  those 
noted  Jewish  bards  of  Spain.  His  production,  in  two 
volumes,  on  the  defence  of  the  Israelites  against  the 
attacks  of  Christians  in  the  Mediaeval  times,  where- 
in he  brings  to  light  a  vast  deal  of  the  rich  litera- 
ture of  those  days,  is  deserving  of  a  perusal  by  all 
who  value  the  efforts  of  our  heroes  of  the  past. 
"A  Manual  of  the  Dialect  of  the  Mishna"  teems 
with  erudite  observations,  and  it  is  a  necessary  com- 
panion in  the  study  of  the  writings  of  the  Sages. 
"  Judaism  and  its  History,"  a  course  of  lectures  of 
a  highly-instructive  character,  was  presented  in  an 
English  garb,  by  the  late  Dr.  Maurice  Mayer.     But 


96  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Geiger's  chef  d'ceuvre  is  Urschrift,  the  product  of 
twenty  years'  labor,  it  being  a  critical  investigation 
of  the  Bible,  which  came  out  in  1857.  The  ideas  held 
forth  were  adversely  commented  on  by  the  learned 
of  the  opposite  school.  The  author  was,  for  some 
time,  compelled  to  face  a  raging  storm.  While  the 
work  is  confessedly  the  best  from  the  pen  of  that 
writer,  it  is  said  to  advance  more  radical  opinions 
than  had  been  anticipated.  Dr.  Neubauer  observes : 
"The  chief  merit  of  Geiger's  researches  in  regard  to 
this  branch  of  study,  is  his  powerful  analysis  of  ob- 
scure Talmudical  passages."  This  assertion  cannot 
be  illustrated  by  quotations,  but  the  above  account 
may  convey  a  fair  idea  of  the  activity  of  a  man,  who, 
to  repeat  ourself,  we  must  say,  was  great  among  the 
greatest. 

Dr.  Geiger  died  at  Berlin,  Prussia,  on  the  25th 
of  October,  1874. 

A  new  edition  of  his  works,  together  with  his 
life  and  letters,  has  just  been  issued  by  his  son,  Dr. 
Ludwig  Geiger,  whose  acumen  and  skill  as  a  writer 
are  .  well-known,  and  justly  appreciated  in  literary 
circles. 

GOLDSMID. 

Prior  to  the  rise  of  the  Goldsmid  family,  the  in- 
fluence of  the  German-Jewish  community  in  England 
was    confined    in   narrow   bounds.      The    Portuguese 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  97 

Jews,  being  the  first  settlers*  in  Great  Britain,  after 
the  revocation  of  the  inhuman  edict  of  banishment, 
proclaimed  and  enforced  by  Edward  I.,  soon  rose  to 
high  standing,  and  the  power  they  wielded  in  re- 
ligious affairs  became  a  recognized  fact.  The  Ger- 
man Hebrews  did  not  establish  themselves  in  suffi- 
cient numbers,  even  to  erect  a  place  of  worship, 
until  the  reign  of  William  III ;  and,  for  many  years, 
few  could  be  found  in  their  ranks,  qualified  to  act 
as  representatives,  and  set  forth  their  claims. 


Aaron  Goldsmid,  a  Dutch  merchant,  came  with 
his  family  to  England  in  1765,  and  there  took  up 
a  permanent  residence.  The  lively  interest  evinced 
in  matters  pertaining  to  his  faith,  brought  Mr.  Gold- 
smid into  prominence.  He  had  four  sons,  the  eld- 
est of  whom,  George,  was  admitted  a  partner  with 
his  father,  in  the  firm  of  Aaron  Goldsmid  &  Son. 
Asher,  the  second  son,  joined  Mr.  Mocatta,  and  es- 
tablished the  co-partnership  of  Mocatta  &  Goldsmid, 
who  became  bullion-brokers  to  the  Bank  of  England. 
The  two  other  sons,  Benjamin  and  Abraham,  began 
business  as  brokers,  and  the  former  made  a  trip 
through  different  parts  of  Europe,  seeking  into  the 
condition  of  his  fellow-believers,  and  distributing  of 
his  means,  with  munificence,  to  the  needy.  Aaron 
Goldsmid    died    some   time  after    Benjamin's    return, 


98  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

and  his  death  was  attended  with  circumstances  of  a 
very  peculiar  nature,  which  we  forbear  mentioning, 
lest  we  transcend  our  limits.* 


Benjamin  and  Abraham  Goldsmid,  gradually  en- 
hanced the  reputation  of  their  banking-house,  until 
at  length  it  became  one  of  the  principal  firms  in  the 
British  Kingdom,  business  being  conducted  on  an 
extensive  scale.  Benjamin  Goldsmid  wedded  a  lady 
with  a  dowry  of  £100,000,  which,  of  course,  mater- 
ially added  to  the  credit  of  the  house.  Large  sums 
'of  money  continually  passed  through  the  hands  of 
the  Goldsmids,  and  their  transactions  amounted  an- 
nually to  millions.  Within  a  short  period,  they  oc- 
cupied the  first  place  in  the  Stock  Exchange.  Both 
brothers  displayed  actual  genius  in  their  monetary 
schemes.  When  a  severe  crisis  occurred  in  the 
Money  Market,  in  1793,  by  which  some  of  the  old- 
est houses  fell  to  pieces,  the  firm  of  Goldsmid  lost 
but  £50. 

Both  Benjamin  and  Abraham  lived  in  grand  style, 
but  were  as  much  noted  for  their  charity  and  bene- 
ficence, which  flowed  in  abundance  to  the  poor  of 
every  denomination.  They  founded  and  supported 
asylums  and  other  institutions,  and  commanded   the 

*See  Picciotto's  "  Sketches  of  Anglo- Jewish   History,"  pp.  245- 
248. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  99 

respect  of  all  classes.  Some  pecuniary  embarrass- 
ments, however,  occasioned  depression  of  spirit.  Ben- 
jamin Goldsmid,  while  laboring  under  a  fit  of  des- 
pondency, took  his  own  life,  on  the  15th  of  April, 
1808,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five,  and  his  brother,  Abra- 
ham, died  from  a  similiar  cause;  on  the  28th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1 810.  There  was  no  special  reason,  at  the 
time,  for  Benjamin  to  act  in  this  wise,  but  Abraham, 
who  had  met  with  serious  losses,  on  account  of  the 
reduction  in  the  price  of  stocks,  was  called  upon  to 
negotiate  Exchequer  Bills,  to  the  amount  of  £500,000, 
placed  in  his  hands  by  the  East  India  Company. 
The  payment  had  been  fixed  for  Friday,  of  the  date 
last  mentioned.  Unprepared  for  the  exigency,  his 
honesty  of  character  made  him  shrink  from  facing, 
what  he  considered,  a  sure  disgrace.  And  yet,  it 
is  said,  that,  on  that  very  Friday  morning,  a  rela- 
tive hastened  to  his  home,  with  the  good  news  that 
the  funds  for  the  East  India  Company  were  ready. 
Too  late :  Abraham  Goldsmid  had  committed  the 
fatal  deed.  s 

These  two  painful  occurrences  had,  at  their  differ- 
ent periods,  considerable  effect  on  the  Market,  and 
the  press  abounded  with  eulogies  of  the  deceased, 
whose  kind-heartedness  thousands  were  made  to 
enjoy. 

We  have  spoken  thus  briefly  of  the  early  mem- 
bers  of  the    Goldsmid   family,    in    order   to    reserve 


IOO  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

space  for  those  who  lived  in  this  eventful  century. 
Their  indefatigable  labors  claim  attention.  Before 
proceeding,  however,  we  must  acknowledge,  in  justice 
to  those  already  named,  that  to  them  belongs  the 
merit  of  having  opened  a  wide  field  for  their  suc- 
cessors. But  it  was  left  to  Sir  I.  L.  Goldsmid,  and 
his  noble  son,  Sir  F.  H.  Goldsmid,  to  revive  the  glo- 
ries of  their  house,  and  shed  additional  lustre  on  the 
name  they  bore. 


Sir  Isaac  Lyon  Goldsmid,  Bart.,  son  of  Mr.  Asher 
Goldsmid,  and  nephew  of  Benjamin  and  Abraham 
Goldsmid,  was  born  at  London,  England,  in  1778. 
He  gained  an  education  at  a  school  in  Finsbury 
Square.  An  ardent  student,  he  became  a  fluent  Latin 
scholar  and  a  fair  mathematician.  He  also  cultivated 
Jewish  theology,  philosophy  and  political  science. 

Mr.  Goldsmid  entered  as  a  partner  in  the  firm  of 
Mocatta  &  Goldsmid,  to  which  we  have  alluded  be- 
fore. Though  at  first  not  successful  in  his  financial 
undertakings,  he  eventually  raised  the  standard  of 
the  business,  and  amassed  a  large  fortune.  Mr.  Gold- 
smid lent  his  valuable  assistance  to  the  promotion  of 
industrial  projects,  and  co-operated  in  improving  the 
moral  and  educational  condition  of  the  masses.  He 
took  an  active  part  in  the  founding  of  colleges  and 
other  educational  institutions.  His  philanthropy  was 
as  far-reaching  as  that  of  his  uncles,  and  he  dispensed 
with  an  open  hand  to  the  unfortunate. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  IOI 

The  operations  of  the  house  grew  fast,  and  loans 
were  advanced  to  Portugal,  Brazil  and  Turkey.  Mr. 
Goldsmid  received  visits  from  political  exiles,  among . 
them  Prince  Louis  Napoleon,  afterward  Napoleon 
III.,  though  the  English  banker  never  gave  his  sup- 
port to  the  French  Emperor.  Mr.  Goldsmid  was 
created  a  Baronet  of  the  United  Kingdom,  and 
shortly  after,  a  .Knight  of  the  Tower  and  Sword  of 
Portugal.  Subsequently  the  King  of  the  last-men- 
tioned country,  conferred  on  him  the  title  of  Baron 
da  Palmeira,  with  a  small  estate.  He  accepted  these 
honors,  more  from  a  desire  to  uphold  his  people 
than  for  their  real  worth. 

Sir  I.  L.  Goldsmid's  labors  for  the  recognition  of 
Jewish  rights  in  Great  Britain  were  untiring.  He 
worked  arduously  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Deputies,  and  employed  his  influence,  his  time  and 
wealth,  to  serve  his  co-religionists  in  every  possible 
way.  Happily,  he  lived  to  witness  the  consummation 
of  what  many  years'  unceasing  perseverance  had 
wrought.  Mr.  Goldsmid  retired  from  business  when 
sixty  years  old,  and  made  a  tour  through  France, 
Italy  and  Germany,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health. 
Returning  to  England,  his  activity  was  restless  till 
within  a  few  years  of  his  demise,  which  took  place 
in  1859,  at  a  very  old  age.  During  his  whole  life, 
Mr.  Goldsmid  remained  a  strict  conformant  to  Jew- 
ish   observances,  and    his     death    deprived    the    He- 


102  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

brews  of  an  earnest  advocate,  and  England  of  an 
upright  citizen,  who  had  contributed  a  large  share 
to  promote  the  interests  of  her  inhabitants. 


Sir  Francis  Henry  Goldsmid,  Bart.,  M.  P., 
second  son  of  Sir  Isaac  Lyon  Goldsmid,  was  born 
at  London,  England,  on  May  1st,  1808.  After  re- 
ceiving careful  instruction,  he  was  called  to  the  Bar 
in  Hilary  term  1833,  being  the  first  Jew  who  ever 
obtained  that  distinction  in  Great  Britain.  Mr. 
Goldsmid  practiced  for  a  short  time  in  the  Court  of 
Chancery,  but  gradually  relinquished  his  connection 
with  legal  matters.  This  action  created  general  re- 
gret, for  Mr.  Goldsmid's  forensic  career  had  been  ex- 
ceedingly brilliant,  and  had  he  continued,  he  might 
have  soon  become  one  of  the  brightest  ornaments 
of  the  profession.  At  all  events,  he  paved  the  way 
for  others  of  his  own  race,  who  have  since  attained 
the  highest  position  at  the  Bar. 

Mr.  Goldsmid  won  an  enviable  name  during  the 
agitation  for  the  removal  of  Jewish  disabilities.  He 
wrote  several  able  pamphlets  in  behalf  of  the 
cause.  One,  entitled  "  Remarks  on  the  Civil  Disa- 
bilities of  the  Jews,"  was  published  in  1830,  a,nd 
another,  "  Reply  to  the  Argument  Against  the  En- 
franchisement  of  the   Jews,"  in    1848. 

Among  the  numerous  offices  filled  by  Sir  Francis 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  103 

Goldsmid  were  those  of  a  Bencher  of  Lincoln's  Inn, 
a  Deputy-Lieutenant  of  Berkshire,  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  Berkshire  and  Gloucestershire,  a  Fellow  of 
the  Royal  Geographical  Society  and  a  Vice-Presi- 
dent of  the  Anglo-Jewish  Association.  In  i860  he 
was  elected  to  Parliament  from  Reading,  which  con- 
stituency he  worthily  represented  to  his  death,  and 
never  lost  an  opportunity  to  defend  the  rights  of 
his  brethren.  Sir  Francis  succeeded  to  all  his 
father's  titles,  among  them  that  of  the  Baron  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Portugal. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  devoted  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  life  to  succor  the  afflicted  and  the 
poverty-stricken  of  all  creeds.  He  contributed  to 
sustain  societies  and  corporations  of  various  natures. 
His  staunch  adherence  to  the  prescriptions  of  Juda- 
ism is  another  testimony  of  the  nobility  of  his 
character.  Sir  Francis  died,  the  victim  of  a  lament- 
able railroad  accident,  on  May  2d,  1878,  thus  clos- 
ing a  career,  signalized  by  the  practice  of  rare 
virtues. 


It  may  be  noticed  that  the  different  members 
of  the  Goldsmid  family,  morally  bear  a  strong 
resemblance  to  those  of  the  Rothschild.  In  one 
instance  like  the  other,  individual  exertions  raised 
comparative    obscurity   to    high    eminence;    and    in 


104  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

both,  princely  liberality  to  relieve  suffering  human- 
ity, and  further  the  world's  progress,  gained  a  re- 
nown which  has'  spread  far  and  wide. 


HIRSCH  GRAETZ.* 

A  few  months  ago — it  was  on  August  ioth, 
1%79j— there  gathered  at  Breslau  a  large  number  of 
Rabbis  and  laymen,  in  honor  of  a  scholar  who  has 
done  more,  perhaps,  to  advance  Hebrew  culture, 
and  to  acquaint  the  literary  world  with  Jewish 
thought,  than  any  living  representative  of  his  race. 
If  Leopold  Zunz  was  the  earliest  pioneer,  Graetz 
has  been  the  most  successful  worker  in  unfolding 
the  treasures  of  Jewish  history  to  the  reading- 
public  of  his  time.  It  was  the  celebration  of  the 
25  th  anniversary  of  the  Jewish  Theological  Semi- 
nary, and  of  Dr.  Graetz's  connection  with  that  Insti- 
tution. On  the  occasion  he  became  the  recipient  of 
distinguished  marks  of  esteem,  in  which  his  admirers 
and  disciples,  in  Germany,  Austria,  France,  Den- 
mark, Holland,  England,  and  America  alike  joined. 

Prof.  Dr.  Hirsch  Graetz  was  born  at.  Xions,  in  the 
Duchy  of  Posen,  Prussian  Poland,  on  the  5th-  of  No- 
vember, 1 817.  He  shared,  as  did  many  other  famous 
scholars,  the  hard  struggles  of  a  needy  Bachur.  Early 
initiated  into  the  study  of  the    Talmud,   his  special 

*  This  sketch  is  from  the  able  pen  of  Dr.  Abram  S.  Isaacs. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  105 

literary  taste  was  fortunately  not  hampered  by  the  pil- 
pulistic  method  then  in  vogue.  Trained  for  the  Rab- 
binate, he  displayed  no  great  aptitude  for  preaching, 
and  he  was  engaged  as  private  teacher  by  Samson 
Raphael  Hirsch,  then  Rabbi  of  Nicolsburg,  Moravia, 
to  whom  the  grateful  friend,  dedicated  his  first  work, 
"  Gnosticism  and  Judaism"  (Krotoschin :  1846).  It 
is  noteworthy,  that  in  after  days  Hirsch,  the  present 
venerable  Rabbi  of  Frankfort,  and  Graetz,  the  Semi- 
nary Professor,  occupied  opposing  stand-points  in 
the  controversy  which  agitated  German  Judaism. 

The  appearance  of  his  maiden-work,  gave  Graetz 
at  once  a  name  in  the  realms  of  Jewish  literature, 
and  inquiries  were  rapidly  made  as  to  the  brilliant 
writer,  who  was  to  earn  for  some  years  a  scanty 
livelihood  at  Berlin,  giving  lessons  at  a  few  groschen 
an  hour.  The  style,  the  thought,  the  erudition  ex- 
hibited in  that  little  work  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-two  pages,  which  has  not  yet  become  anti- 
quated, were  full  of  promise  of  the  future.  His 
contributions,  too,  principally  to  Frankel's  maga- 
zine, in  1845,  1846,  1848,  1852,  1853  and  1854,  on 
such  themes  as  the  Septuagint  in  the  Talmud,  in- 
troductions to  the  Talmud,  chronology  and  topog- 
raphy of  the  Talmud,  and  particularly  his  Jewish 
historical  studies,  which  early  displayed  the  bent  of 
his  mind,  secured  the  writer  so  wide  a  reputation 
that  on  the   opening  of   the   Seminary  in    1854,  he 


106  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

was  selected  by  Dr.  Frankel  to  be  Professor  of  Jewish 
history  and  Bible  Exegesis. 

His  twenty-five  years  of  activity  have  been  blessed 
with  the  richest  fruits.  Working  in  constant  har- 
mony with  Frankel, — whose  views  he  shared,  and 
reverence  for  whom  often  checked  his  natural  impul- 
siveness— he  has  never  failed  to  leave  the  impress  of 
his  strong  individuality  on  all  the  young  men  with 
whom  he  has  come  in  contact.  Not  restricting  his 
subjects  of  instruction  to  history  and  the  Bible,  but 
teaching  Talmud  as  well,  with  all  the  side-lights  of 
comparative  philology,  archaeology  and  historical  illus- 
tration, he,  with  Frankel,  has  given  the  Seminary  its 
world-wide  reputation,  and  he  still  seizes  all  oppor- 
tunities to  influence  it  for  good. 

It  was  in  1852  that  Graetz  began  to  issue  his 
famous  "  History  of  the  Jews, "  from  the  earliest  times 
to  our  day.  In  1 876  the  series  was  finished,  in  eleven 
volumes,  for  which  a  second  and  third  edition  have  been 
called.  Single  volumes  have  been  published  in  Eng- 
lish, French  and  Hebrew.  Of  this  work,,  in  whose 
preparation  Graetz  consulted  not  only  the  principal 
libraries  in  Europe,  but  also  made  a  special  trip  to 
Palestine,  it  may  safely  be  asserted  that,  as  a  whole,  it 
is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  comprehensive  histories 
that  have  ever  appeared.  While  critics  have  fastened 
upon  an  expression  here,  and  a  view  there,  with  a  re- 
lentless grasp,  and  accused  Graetz  of  violent  partisan- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  107 

ship  and  flimsy  theorizing, — no  one  has  refused  to 
award  high  praise  for  the  unremitting  industry,  the 
extensive  erudition,  the  broad  sympathies,  and  the 
marvelous  unravelling  of  characters  and  circumstances, 
joined  to  a  glowing  and  picturesque  style,  which  have 
won  for  Graetz  the  title  of  father  of  Jewish  history, 
and  have  given  him  a  place  next  to  Mommsen,  Cur- 
tius,  Ranke,  and  other  leading  historians.  A  thinker  of 
decided  views,  and  blunt  in  their  expression,  he  has 
his  detractors,  who  charge  him  with  prejudices  and 
distortions.  But  he  stands  out  like  a  giant,  among 
the  host  of  pigmies  and  pilferers  who  raise  an  outcry 
against  him.  Out  of  the  mist  of  dim  tradition  he  has 
lifted  the  Jewish  people  and  placed  them,  with  all  their 
faults  and  virtues,  before  the  reader.  He  has  frankly 
shown  that  as  men  suffering  degradation  and  intoler- 
ance, hypocrisy,  narrowness,  and  ignorance  ruled  some 
of  the  Hebrews;  but  as  heroes,  filled  with  a  divine 
ideal,  the  heart  of  our  race  throbbed  with  resolute 
effort,  undying  courage,  reverence  for  the  household 
and  the  house  of  God,  and  a  desire  for  knowledge  in 
its  best  sense. 

The  production  of  his  History  did  not  exhaust 
Graetz's  literary  powers ;  it  only  spurred  them  on  to 
further  endeavors.  As  fruit,  in  part,  of  his  lectures  in 
connection  with  the  University  of  Breslau — at  which 
he  was  appointed  an  Honorary  Professor,  by  the  King 
of  Prussia — and  at  the  Seminary— he  has  published  exe- 


108  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

getical  works  on  Kolieleth,  Shir -ha- Shir  im,  and  smaller 
brochures  on  subjects  connected  with  history  and  the 
Bible,  while  his  essays  in  Dr.  Frankel's  magazine,  con- 
ducted for  some  years  past  by  himself,  number  more 
than  one  hundred,  and  stretch  themselves  over  the  en- 
tire field  of  Jewish  literature.  Add  to  the  prodigious 
amount  of  work  thus  displayed,  the  fact  that  he  has 
lectured,  by  invitation,  in  Berlin,  Posen,  Hamburg, 
Frankfort,  Pesth,  and  Lemberg  ;  that  he  has  travelled 
to  Palestine ;  that  he  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
Alliance  Israelite  Universelle ;  that  he  lectures  two 
hours  daily  at  the  Seminary,  and  two  or  three  hours 
weekly  at  the  University ;  and  edits  a  magazine  be- 
sides ; — and  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  Titanic 
strength  required  to  perform  with  unvarying  ability 
the  duties  of  his  position. 

Age  has  not  led  Dr.  Graetz  to  relax  from  his  work. 
Loving  to  his  friends,  a  tender  husband,  and  an  affec- 
tionate father,  the  idol  of  his  home  circle,  whose  pleas- 
ures he  participates  in  as  though  he  were  a  child, — so 
simple  and  unassuming  is  his  nature, — Graetz  is  a 
merciless  antagonist  of  hypocrisy  and  ignorance,  and 
gives  blow  for  blow.  For  years  yet,  may  he  be  spared 
in  continued  health  and  usefulness. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  IO9 

REBECCA  GRATZ. 

What  can  effect  nobler  ends  than  an  unrestraine 
exercise  of  the  good  qualities  in  human  nature  ? 
Where  the  mind  and  the  heart  work  in  unison, 
blessed  results  alone  must  follow.  This  fact  has  been 
clearly  exemplified  in  the  lives  of  men  whose  names 
have  reached  posterity,  surrounded  with  a  halo  of 
sanctity.  Yet  woman  bears  the  palm  in  whatsoever 
calls  into  requisition  thoughtful  tenderness,  merciful 
endurance,  and  calmness,  amid  irritating  causes.  Truly 
it  has  been  said,  that  woman  is  the  crowning  work  of 
the  Creator.  See  what  comfort  she  gives  the  sorrow- 
ful, how  she  ministers  to  the  sick ;  mark  the  hopes 
she  breathes  into  the  oppressed,  and  the  peace  she 
restores  to  the  agitated.  There  stands  the  princess 
of  philanthropy,  Florence  Nightingale ;  Lady  Judith 
Montefiore  and  Lady  Burdett-Coutts  closely  follow 
her  footsteps.  The  lady,  to  whose  character  atten- 
tion is  drawn,  was  not  so  widely  known,  but  the  in- 
estimable services  she  rendered,  in  a  comparatively 
narrow  sphere,  have  endeared  her  memory  to  many, 
specially  to  her  co-religionists. 

Rebecca  Gratz  was  born  at  Philadelphia,  on  March 
4th,  1782,  of  a  wealthy  and  intelligent  family.  She 
received  such  an  education  as  was  accessible  at  the 
time.  But  her  innate  faculties  soon  shone  forth. 
Very  handsome,  most  graceful  and  polished,  possess- 


IIO  .  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

ing  abilities  above  the  common  average,  she  attracted 
and  retained  warm  friends.  She  did  not,  however, 
allow  flattery  or  praise  to  damage  the  traits  for  which 
she  was  distinguished.  Unostentatious  demeanor 
ever  remained  a  noticeable  characteristic  in  Miss 
Gratz. 

Strict  in  her  adherence  to  the  ancestral  religion, 
she  went  in  quest  of  opportunities  for  assisting  in 
the  spread  of  knowledge  among  her  fellow-believers. 
The  earnest  Jewess  perceived  that,  to  bring  the  young 
together,  and  familiarize  them  with  some  essentials 
in  the  faith,  would  be  productive  of  permanent  good, 
and  she  was  the  first  to  carry  out  the  idea.  She 
founded  the  Hebrew  Sunday  School  of  Philadelphia 
in  1838,  the  oldest  institution  of  the  kind  in  America, 
and  served  as  its  Superintendent  and  First  Directress 
for  a  period  of  thirty-two  years.  The  Female  He- 
brew Benevolent  Society,  the  Jewish  Foster  Home, 
the  Fuel  Society,  and  the  Sewing  Society  reckoned 
Miss  Gratz  among  their  originators,  and  she  held  the 
office  of  Secretary  of  the  first-named  association  for 
several  decades. 

But  though  Miss  Gratz  considered  it  a  duty  to 
direct  her  utmost  efforts  to  the  furtherance  of  every 
object  of  a  Jewish  nature,  she  was  broad-minded  in  her 
views.  In  the  dispensing  of  her  benevolence,  she 
recognized  neither  sect  nor  creed.  Gentiles  as  well 
as    Hebrews  were  made  the  recipients  of  the    same 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  I  I 

kindness.  At  the  Philadelphia  Orphan  Asylum,  the 
Widows'  Asylum/and  wherever  she  labored,  the  zeal 
exhibited  met  with  the  hearty  appreciation  of  her 
colleagues,  and  the  gratitude  of  her  beneficiaries. 

But  to  the  people  whose  descent  and  doctrines 
formed  her  pride,  Rebecca  Gratz  was  invaluable. 
For  she  offered  them  a  bright  example,  not  only  by 
good  acts,  but  by  a  piety  almost  rare  in  one  of  her 
condition  and  social  standing.  Never,  throughout 
he*  entire  career,  would  she  sanction  the  least  viola- 
tion of  the  law  and  precepts.  Regular  in  her  attend- 
ance at  the  Synagogue,  devout  in  worshiping  her 
Maker,  she  imparted  to.  the  beholders  a  feeling  of 
awe  for  the  house  of  prayer  and  the  divine  service. 

The  attractiveness  of  Miss  Gratz's  conversational 
powers,  and  her  dignified  mien,  contributed  to  create 
around  her  a  very  choice  circle.  She  became  ac- 
quainted with  Washington  Irving,  Sully,  the  artist, 
and  other  celebrities.  But  the  respect  shown  her 
by  Christians,  did  not  tend  to  lessen  a  whit  her  at- 
tachment to  Judaism.  Many  and  severe  may  have 
been  her  trials  to  hold  fast  to  principles,  but  she 
arose  above  them  all. 

It  is  related  that  Washington  Irving,  while  paying 
a  visit  to  Sir  Walter  Scott,  at  his  home  in  Scotland, 
learnt  from  the  latter  that  his  novel  of  "  Ivanhoe " 
was  in  course  of  preparation,  and'  that  a  Jewish 
female  character  would  be  '  introduced.     Whereupon 


I  I  2  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

the  former  remarked,  that  he  knew  of  a  lady  who 
would  suit  admirably.  He  proceeded  to  describe,  in 
glowing  terms,  Rebecca  Gratz,  her  acquirements  and 
suavity  of  manners,  and  her  unyielding  devotion  to 
Israel's  God.  Scott  attentively  listened  to  the  inter- 
esting narrative,  and  when  he  had  finished  "  Ivan- 
hoe,"  he  sent  the  first  copy  to  Irving,  inquiring 
whether  the  "  Rebecca "  he  had  pictured,  compared 
well  with  the  pattern  given. 

Miss  Gratz,  in  the  pursuit  of  her  educational  de- 
signs, induced  the  writing  and  compilation  of  text- 
books for  instruction  in  the  Jewish  faith.  The  Rev. 
Isaac  Leeser  dedicated  his  catechism  to  her,  as  a 
mark  of  esteem  and  veneration  for  a  Jewess  so  ex- 
emplary, and  so  eager  to  promote  religious  know- 
ledge. 

To  the  end  of  her  days,  Rebecca  Gratz  followed 
the  same  righteous  course,  "  doing  justice,  loving 
mercy,  and  walking  humbly  with  her  God."  On 
August  27th,  1869,  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-seven 
years,  her  pure  life  was  brought  to  a  close  in  the  city 
of  her  birth.  '  "  Give  her  of  the  fruit  of  her  hands, 
and  let  her  own  works  praise  her  in  the  gates." 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  I  3 

JACQUES  FRANgOIS  FROMENTAL  ELIE 
HALEVY. 

France  occupies  an  enviable  position  for  the 
height  she  has  reached  in  literature,  art  and  science. 
Specially  in  the  last-named  branch  of  knowledge 
she  has  excelled  many  enlightened  nations.  But  the 
products  of  her  musical  genius  have  also  added  con- 
siderably to  the  fame  she  has  won.  Of  truly  great 
composers  France  has  given  but  few,  yet  those  she 
can  claim,  have  so  clearly  evinced  superior  abilities 
that  they  have  enhanced  the  reputation  of  their 
country.  Persons  possessed  of  a  musical  training  will 
agree  that  attractive  operas,  more  than  classical,  are 
in  demand  at  the  present  day,  and  that  they  always 
meet  with  unqualified  success.  In  the  production  of 
such  operas,  the  French  have  surely  come  up  to  the 
standard.  It  cannot,  however,  be  denied  that  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  while  fully  alive  to  the  re- 
quirements of  the  times,  offered  the  world  compo- 
sitions well  worthy  of  a  great  master. 

Jacques  Francois  Fromental  Elie  Halevy  was 
born  at  Paris,  France,  on  the  27th  of  May,  1799. 
At  the  age  of  ten  years,  his  parents  placed  him  un- 
der musical  instruction,  at  the  conservatory.  Che- 
rubini,  his  favorite  tutor,  ever  remained  his  warm 
friend. 

Halevy,  when  only  twenty,  obtained  the  first  prize 


114  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

for  composition  at  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  an 
honor  which  entitled  him  to  a  pensionary  residence 
of  two  years  at  Rome,  and  whereof  he  availed  him- 
self. Returning  to  France  in  1822,  he  for  five  years 
in  vain  besought  the  managers  to  put  upon  the 
stage,  either  his  grand  opera  Pygmalion,  or  his 
comic  opera  Les  Deux  Pavilions.  In  1827,  how- 
ever, his  one-act  opera  L Artisan  was  bronght  out 
with  moderate  success  at  the  Theatre  Feydeau.  In 
1829  his  three-act  opera  Clari  was  produced  at  the 
Theatre  Italien  and  well  received,  since  Malibran  as- 
sumed the  principal  role.  A  grand  ballet  in  three, 
acts,  Manon  Lescaut,  the  text  written  by  Scribe, 
made  its  appearance  in  1830. 

Halevy's  masterpiece,  La  Juive,  came  forth  in 
1835,  an<3  by  it  he  achieved  a  wide-spread  fame. 
Replete  with  charming  music  and  depth  of  senti- 
ment, it  has  affixed  to  the  name  of  the  author  the 
title  of  Maestro.  To  this  day  that  ever  popular 
opera  holds  the  stage.  It  was  first  represented  at 
the  Royal  Academy  of  Music,  and  it  has  been 
heard  at  the  principal  opera-houses  throughout  the 
world. 

Of  some  of  the  other  productions  of  our  com- 
poser that  added  to  his  celebrity,  are  :  L Eclair,  La 
Peine  de  Chypre,  Charles  VI.,  Les  Mousquetaires  de 
la  Peine,  Le  val  d'Andorre,  Le  Juif  Errant,  Jaqua- 
rita,  and  La  Magicienne.     It    is  needless  to  say  that 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  I  5 

all  of  Halevy's  operas  have  left  a  profound  impression 
of  his  musical  skill  and  the  beauty  of  his  melody. 
He  wrote  more  than  thirty  operas,  five  or  six  of 
which  are  constantly  set  before  the  public. 

Halevy  also  distinguished  himself  as  a  graceful 
writer  on  musical  subjects.  His  Lecons  de  lecture 
musicale  has  been  adopted  as  a  text-book  in  the 
schools  of  Paris.  There  were  published  besides, 
Souvenirs  et  Portraits,  etudes  sur  les  Beaux- Arts,  and, 
as  a  posthumous  work,  Dernier s  Souvenirs  et  Por- 
traits. 

Halevy  succeeded  Fetis,  as  professor  of  compo- 
sition at  the  conservatory,  and  perpetual  secretary 
of  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  He  died  at  Nice, 
France,  on  the  17th  of  March,  1862.  In  recognition 
of  his  valuable  services,  and  untiring  energy  to 
further  the  progress  of  musical  science,  the  French 
Government  bestowed  upon  his  widow  an  annuity 
of  5,000  francs.  • 

Of  the  Halevy  family,  Leon,  brother  of  the  com- 
poser, was  a  cultured  author.  He  wrote  a  num- 
ber of  learned  works,  among  them  an  introduction 
to  Opinions  litteraires,  philosophiques  et  industrielles, 
of  Saint-Simon,  to  whose  principles  he  had  become 
a  votary;  Fables;  Fables  Nouvelles ;  and  La  Grece 
Tragique,  in  three  volumes.  Some  of  these  pro- 
ductions won  prizes  from  the  Academy. 

Leon  Halevy  held  several  literary  stations  under 


Il6  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

the  French  Government.  It  may  be  of  importance 
to  mention  that  he  issued  Resume  de  V Histoire  des 
Juifs,  (A  Summary  of  Jewish  History)  in  two  vol- 
umes;  a  translation  of  "Macbeth;"  and  several 
tragedies  and  dramatic  pieces. 

His  son,  Ludovic,  is  also  known  as  a  dramatist. 
He  has  written  the  libretti  for  some  of  the  bouffe 
operas  of  Offenbach  and  others.  Of  his  recent  works 
are  the  comedy  Tricochet  et  Cacolet,  the  vaudeville 
Reveillon,  and  a  collection  of  equivocal  sketches,  in- 
cluding Madame  et  Monsieur   Cardinal. 

The  Halevys  are,  doubtless,  entitled  to  a  more 
detailed  delineation  of  their  splendid  endeavors,  es- 
pecially the  most  noted  who  enriched,  by  his 
genius,  the  soul-captivating  art.  But  the  subject 
presents  singular  difficulties  to  non-adepts,  and  it 
has,  therefore,  to  be  left  incomplete.  Awarding  to 
one  the  glory  all  have  accorded  to  him,  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  printed  «works  of  the  two  of 
whom  a  passing  mention  was  made,  so  that  an  un- 
biased opinion  may  be  formed  of  their  respective 
merits. 

JOSEPH  HALEVY. 

Remarkable  is  the  determination  with  which  some 
prosecute  their  plans.  Nothing  seems  to  deter  them. 
The  severer  the  obstacles,  the  greater  the  persever- 
ance.    Men    of  that   calibre    launch    into    perplexing 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  117 

subjects,  and  force  intricacies  to  yield  to  their  mighty 
will.  A  moral  courage  they  muster  which  would  be 
called  heroic,  if  the  world  had  learnt  to  apply  terms 
in  a  truthful  sense.  An  instance  of  that  heroism  is 
given  in  the  archaeologist  and  traveler,  Joseph  Halevy. 
We  propose  to  offer  a  faint  outline  of  his  arduous, 
but  successful  labors. 

Joseph  Halevy  was  born  at  Adrianople,  Turkey 
in  Europe,  on  the  15th  of  September,  1827.  The 
study  of  languages  appears  to  have  possessed  an 
extraordinary  attraction  for  the  boy.  Fitted  by 
nature  for  it,  he  laid  down  as  a  design,  which  he 
must  execute,  the  acquisition  of  Semitic  tongues, 
their  dialects  and  literature.  This  became  the  polar 
star  of  his  life,  whereby  he  was,  •  indeed,  led  safely 
to  regions  where  few  had  ventured   to  set  foot. 

For  a  lengthy  period,  Halevy  superintended  con- 
gregational schools,  first  at  his  native  city,  and  af- 
terwards at  Bucharest,  Roumania.  Meanwhile  he 
tried  to  earn  a  name,  inditing  Hebrew  poems  and 
articles  which  appeared  in  journals,  published  in 
the  sacred  tongue. 

But  M.  Halevy' s  most  effective  activity  dates  from 
1867.  In  that  year  he  went  to  France,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  The  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle 
had  long  felt  the  necessity  of  learning  more  than 
what  had  been  reported  about  the  Falashas,  as  the 
Jews   of    Abyssinia    are    called.       Who    better    than 


Il8  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Halevy  could  procure  the  desired  information?  Not 
only  linguistic  attainments,  but  a  disposition  for  what 
savored  of  the  romantic  had  admirably  fitted  him 
for  the  mission.  He  was  therefore  charged  with  it. 
He  was  to  study  the  characteristics  and  habits,  the 
religious  tenets  and  practices  of  those  distant  Hebrews. 
The  result  of  his  investigations,  as  reported  to  the 
Central  Committee  on  July  30th,  1868,  is  of  pro- 
found interest.  He  details  the  condition  and  cus- 
toms of  that  wonderful  people,  preserved  to  Judaism 
after  astounding  vicissitudes.* 

In  1869,  at  the  request  of  the  French  Minister 
of  Instruction,  M.  Halevy  set  out  for  Yemen.  Six 
hundred  and  eighty-six  inscriptions  he  deciphered  in 
that  ancient  spot  in  Arabia.. 

Of  the  writings  of  Joseph  Halevy  there  are  :  "  The 
Language  in  which  the  book  of  Enoch  was  Com- 
piled " — a  work  he  translated  from  Ethiopian  into 
Hebrew  ;  "  New  Suggestions  about  the  Inscriptions  at 
Marseilles;"  "Studies  on  the  Sabeans ;"  "Letter  to 
M.  D'Abbadie  on  the  Language  of  Mahri  or  Ehkili ;" 
"  Report  of  an  Archaeological  Voyage  to  Yemen ;" 
"The  Language  of  the  Falashas;"  "Miscellany  of 
Semitic  Archaeology  and  Epigraphy;"  "  Critical  Re- 
searches into  the  Origin  of  Babylonian  Civilization;" 
and  "  Prayers  of  the  Falashas,  or  Jews  of  Abyssinia." 


*See  The  Occident  and  American  Jewish  Advocate,  of  November, 
1868. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  119 

The  names  suffice  to  point  out  the  abilities  exercised 
in  presenting  a  complete  analysis  of  the  subjects. 
They  significantly  tell  of  the  merit  due  to  unflagging 
energy,  and  they  claim  for.  him,  who  brought  to  light 
what  had  long  been  hidden,  distinguished  honors  in 
the  republic  of  letters. 


NUMA  EDWARD  HARTOG. 

Not  as  a  writer  did  the  subject  of  the  present 
sketch  gain  distinction,  but  as  a  youth  who  sanctified 
his  talents,  by  devoting  them  to  the  exaltation  of  his 
revered  belief.  The  lectures  and  essays  he  delivered 
were  of  no  mean  order,  but  his  good  name  rests 
firmly  upon  the  exceptional  line  of  conduct  pursued 
at  Colleges  and  Universities  he  had  been  allowed  to 
frequent. 

Numa  Edward  Hartog  was  born  at  London,  Eng- 
land, on  May  20th,  1846.  His  father,  Monsieur  Al- 
phonse  Hartog,  then  Professor  of  French  at  the  Jews' 
College,  and  his  mother,  Mrs.  Marion  Hartog — widely 
known  for  her  various  works,  among  which  "  The 
Romance  of  Jewish  History,"  issued  in  conjunction 
with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Levetus,  "The  Siege  of  Jota- 
pata,"  and  "  The  Prophet's  Daughter,"  deserve  special 
mention — superintended  their  child's  education. 

It  is  readily  seen  that  young  Hartog  enjoyed  a 
great  advantage   in   the  nature  of  his   descent.     He 


120  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

had  sprung  from  a  stock  of  more  than  ordinary  worth. 
Home  training  and  social  surroundings  must  needs 
have  nurtured  and  fostered  latent  qualities.  The 
boy  first  attended  a  commercial  school,  where  his 
inborn  capacities  began  to  clearly  develop.  The 
evidence  of  what  lay  hidden  within  and  was  destined 
to  unfold  in  a  splendid  manner,  is  a  certificate  re- 
ceived when  only  eight  years  of  age.  This  step  led 
to  a  higher  one.  He  obtained  a  diploma  from  the 
College  of  Preceptors,  as  a  testimony  of  proficiency 
and  assiduity. 

Shortly  after  that  event,  the  lad  entered  the  Uni- 
versity College  School.  There  he  soon  became  a  con- 
spicuous figure,  having  won  a  high  prize  for  signal 
advancement  in  mathematics.  Young  Hartog  passed 
into  the  college  proper,  and  the  certificates  of  his  pro- 
gress, and  the  praises  awarded  to  his  diligence  and  de- 
votion to  learning,  were  flattering  in  the  extreme. 
"  Onward  and  upward,"  became  the  student's  motto. 
It  was  not  personal  vanity  that  impelled  him,  but  the 
desire  to  reach  a  point,  never  before  attained  by  an 
Israelite  in  the  United  Kingdom  ;  he  aimed  at  con- 
signing to  oblivion,  illiberal  laws  against  his  fellow- 
believers.  Examined  for  matriculation  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  London,  his  familiarity  with  the  classics, 
not  less  than  with  mathematics,  earned  for  him  tokens 
of  distinction.  At  the  first  Bachelor  of  Arts'  exam- 
ination, honors  were  conferred  on  the  young  Israelite, 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  121 

by  reason  of  his  knowledge  of  several  foreign  lan- 
guages, in  addition  to  that  of  mathematics  and  the 
classics.  But  it  was  at  the  second  B.  A.  examination, 
so  searching  and  thorough,  that  he  acquitted  himself 
nobly.  He  created  universal  amazement  by  carrying 
off  the  prize  in  Physiology,  and  scholarships  in  other 
branches. 

In  1865  Numa  Hartog  entered  Trinity  College, 
Cambridge.  In  his  second  year,  he  was  elected 
Foundation  Scholar.  In  1869,  however,  he  achieved 
the  crowning  reward  of  all  his  endeavors,  viz  :  that 
of  being  elevated  to  the  position  of  Senior  Wrang- 
ler, a  height  no  Israelite  had  yet  reached. 

The  London  Jewish  Chronicle  of  February  5th, 
1869,  thus  remarks: — "A  Senior  Wrangler  always 
stands  alone.  He  is  never  found  bracketed  with 
another  so  near  as  not  to  be  separable  from  him. 
....  The  telegraph  has  flashed  the  news  through 
the  Kingdom,  because  it  ranks  as  an  event,  the  pro- 
found significancy  of  which  is  recognized  on  all 
hands."  The  Jew  had  scaled  the  wall  of  prejudice, 
and  torn  it  down.  The  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts 
was  conferred  on  young  Hartog,  in  the  following 
form :  "  Auctoritate  mihi  commissa  admitto  te  ad  titu- 
lum  Baccalaurei  in  Artibus  designate"  the  objection- 
able words  "  In  nomine  Patris  et  Filiiel  Spiritus  Sancti," 
being  omitted.  With  the  same  propriety,  the  admin- 
istering of  the  thirty-nine  articles  of  faith,  to  which 
as  a  Hebrew  he  could  not  subscribe,   was  set  aside. 


122  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Hartog  returned  to  London,  after  having  been 
placed  second  for  the  Smith  prize,  and  began  to 
study  law.  While  thus  engaged,  he  was  appointed 
to  an  office  in  the  Treasury,  which  he  held  for  some 
time,  but  finally  resigned.  He  lectured  before  various 
associations  among  those  of  his  own  creed,  and  mani- 
fested a  lively  interest  in  the  mental  improvement 
of  all  his  co-religionists.  As  a  member  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Jews'  College,  and  as  one  of  the  Honorary 
Secretaries  of  the  Society  of  Hebrew  Literature,  he 
discharged  his  duties  faithfully,  and  exerted  himself 
to  extend  the  usefulness  of  both  organizations. 
Pious  he  was,  and  anxious  to  contribute  by  his 
example  to  enkindle  a  sentiment  of  love  and  rever- 
ence   for   the   observances    of  the   ancestral   faith. 

Scarce  had  the  flower  blossomed,  and  begun  to 
emit  its  sweet  fragrance,  than  it  withered  and  was 
cut  down.  Numa  Edward  Hartog  fell  a  victim  to 
a  virulent  disease,  on  June  19th,  1 871,  after  a  short 
existence  of  twenty-five  years.  He  had  trodden 
the  path  once  beaten  by  the  illustrious  Philoxene 
Luzzatto  and  Arthur  Lumley  Davids,  and,  like  them, 
was  too  early  removed  from  a  sphere  of  most  pro- 
mising labors. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 23 


ISAAC    HAYS. 


While  it  must  be  conceded  that  Europe  has  set 
the  foundation-stone  to  the  structure  of  modern 
medical  science,  America  has  furnished  more  than 
her  share  of  builders.  Not  quite  so  much,  perhaps, 
in 'the  theoretical  department,  but  in  the  practical, 
our  country  has  certainly  elevated  that  edifice  to  a 
lofty  pinnacle.  An  unbroken  line  of  stupendous 
achievements  can  be  unfolded  to  view,  both  in  the 
clinical  and  the  surgical  school.  Among  physi- 
cians whose  renown  is  enduring  for  invaluable  serv- 
ices, reflecting  lustre  on  the  profession,  Isaac  Hays 
deservedly  claims  honorable  mention. 

Isaac  Hays,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Philadelphia,  on 
July  5  th,  1796.  After  receiving  elementary  instruc- 
tion, he  attended  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
graduated  from  the  Department  of  Arts  in  1816,  and 
from  the  Medical  school  in  1820.  He  studied  under 
Dr.  Nathaniel  Chapman,  and  began  his  career  as  a 
general  practitioner.  Though  not  limited  to  any  spe- 
cialty, he  soon  obtained  a  wide  reputation  as  an 
oculist,  which  circumstance  alone,  speaks  volumes 
for  his  skill,  since  he  had  mastered  a  knowledge, 
by  which  he  could  cure  the  ailments  of  the  most 
delicate  of  human  organs. 

But  besides  a  large  practice,  Dr.  Hays  devoted 
a    considerable   portion  of  his   time  to  literary  mat- 


124  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ters.  His  connection  with  the  American  Journal  of 
the  Medical  Sciences,  dates  from  February,  1827.  He 
continued  on  its  staff  for  a  period  of  fifty-two  years, 
making  him,  therefore,  at  his  death,  the  oldest  liv- 
ing editor  in  the  United  States.  The  paper  orig- 
inally called  the  Philadelphia  Journal  of  Medical  and 
Physical  Sciences,  started  in  1820,  was  given  the 
name  of  the  American  Journal  of  the  Medical  Sciences, 
when  Dr.  Hays  assumed  entire  control,  after  the  re- 
tirement of  Dr.  Goodman.  In  1869  Dr.  Hays  asso- 
ciated with  him,  his  son,  Dr.  I.  Minis  Hays,  who 
now  edits  the  periodical.  That  the  Doctor's  journal- 
istic efforts  have  been  successful  may  be  proven  from 
the  fact  that,  in  1843,  he  established  a  monthly,  en- 
titled the  Medical  News,  and,  in  1874,  the  Monthly 
Abstract  of  Medical  Science.  The  motto  of  the 
Journal  when  the  Doctor  first  took  charge  of  it,  was 
"What  does  the  world  yet  owe  to  American  physi- 
cians or  surgeons  ? "  a  theme  often  discussed  with 
much   vigor   in    its   editorial    columns. 

In  addition  to  these  duties,  Dr.  Hays  edited 
Hall's  edition  of  "  Wilson's  American  Ornithology," 
in  eight  volumes,  published  in  1828;  "  Hoblyn's 
Dictionary  of  Medical  Terms,"  in  1846;  "  Lawrence 
on  Diseases  of  the  Eye,"  in  1847;  and  "  Arnott's 
Elements  of  Physics,"  in  1848.  He  also  attended 
regularly  the  meetings  of  a  vast  number  of  med- 
ical  and  scientific  societies,  being  among  the  found- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 25 

ers  or  directors  of  many,  and  the  surgeon  and  visit- 
ing physician    to    several    hospitals. 

The  Doctor  was  a  prominent  member  of  the 
American  Philosophical  Society,  and  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Natural  Sciences.  In  the  latter  institution, 
he  filled  the  office  of  President,  from  1865-9. 
Very  active  in  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Physi- 
cians, a  valued  member  of  the  Franklin  Institute, 
and  the  oldest  at  his  demise,  energetic  on  the  staff 
of  Will's  Eye  Hospital,  and  one  of  the  principal 
originators  of  the  American  Medical  Association, 
his  usefulness  was  clearly  perceptible.  For  the  last- 
named,  he  composed  a  code  of  ethics,  which  in- 
culcated the  relations  of  the  medical  profession  to 
each  other,  and  to  the  profession  at  large,  and 
which  has  been  adopted  by  every  State  and  county 
medical  society  in  the  Union. 

Dr.  Hays'  fame  was  by  no  means  confined  to 
the  United  States.  The  Philadelphia  physician  be- 
came known  in  Europe,  and  of  the  numerous  or- 
ganizations to  which  he  belonged,  were  the  Royal 
Society  for'  Northern  Antiquities  of  Copenhagen, 
the  Medical  Society  of  Hamburg,  and  the  Univer- 
sit'e  D'  Ophthalmologic,  of  Paris. 

Among  those  whose  acquaintance  Dr.  Hays  en- 
joyed, were  such  noted  persons  as  Horace  Binney, 
William  M.  Meredith,  John  Sergeant,  General  George 
Cadwalader,  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  John  K.  Kane,  Henry 


126  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

C.  Carey,  Dr.  George  B.  Wood  and  Prof.  Bates.  The 
lamented  poet  and  scholar,  William  Cullen  Bryant, 
alluding  to  one  of  Dr.  Hays'  recent  works,  in  an 
editorial,  in  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  in  1875, 
observed,  that,  next  to  himself,  the  Doctor  was  the 
oldest  living  editor  in  continuous  service  in  America. 
Not  the  least  of  the  merits  of  Dr.  Hays,  was  the 
gentleness  with  which  he  discharged  his  professional 
functions.  On  April  12th,  1879,  an  exceptional 
career  of-  eighty-three  years  closed,  and  both  the 
people  and  the  press  attested  to  the  moral  qualities 
of  a  Philadelphian,  rich  with  intellectual  gifts. 

PHINEAS  MENDEL  HEILPRIN. 

Within  late  years,  many  of  the  brightest  stars  in 
the  Jewish  horizon  have  disappeared  from  view,  leav- 
ing a  void  to  be  deeply  deplored.  All  that  love 
Hebrew  literature  must  sincerely  hope  that  the  re- 
maining few  of  a  glorious  band  of  Israel's  scholars 
will  long  be  spared  to  elevate  their  brethren  before 
the  world.  It  is  our  purpose  to  set  forth  a.  short 
account  of  the  life  of  one  endowed  with  mental  ex- 
cellencies. He  never  attained  the  distinction  due  to 
his  superior  talents,  because  real  modesty  and  an 
unyielding  attachment  to  religious  truths,  made  him 
shrink  from  a  notoriety  to  which  principles  are  at 
times  sacrificed. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  127 

Phineas  Mendel  Heilprin  was  born  at  Lublin, 
Russian  Poland,  in  November,  1801.  He  belonged 
to  a  cultured  and  pious  family.  As  customary  with 
the  Polish  Jews,  he  devoted  himself,  almost  from 
infancy,  to  the  study  of  the  Talmud.  This  course 
he  pursued  for  several  years,  scarcely  applying  him- 
self to  aught  else.  But  after  a  time  he  took  to  other 
books,  particularly  the  writings  of  Maimonides,  whose 
views  he  adopted,  as  a  guide  in  thinking  and  acting. 
He  subsequently  studied  the  works  of  Aristotle, 
Plato,  Mendelssohn,  Kant,  Fichte  and  other  philos- 
ophers, and  they  contributed  largely  in  giving  the 
proper  bent  to  his  thoughts.  Lessing,  however,  was 
his  great  favorite.  Established  in  a  small  but  com- 
paratively flourishing  town  of  Russian  Poland  as  a 
wool  merchant  and  cloth  manufacturer,  he  devoted  a 
large  portion  of  his  time  to  reading,  to  learned  con- 
versation, and  the  education  of  his  children. 

Heilprin  became  attached  to  the  Sephardic  school, 
which  he*  considered  the  only  true  exponent!  of  Juda- 
ism, and  he  freely  criticized  the  doctrines  of  the 
French  and  German  Rabbis  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
whom  he  charged  with  slavish  adherence  to  the  text 
and  words,  instead  of  the  spirit,  of  the  Talmud  and 
Scriptures.  Believing  the  Talmud  to  be  badly  dis- 
figured by  clerical  errors  and  interpolations,  he 
labored  to  purify  and  harmonize  the  original  through 
emendations  suggested  by  his  inquiring  mind,  and  in 


128  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

these  endeavors  he  evinced  erudition,  ingenuity  and 
boldness.  Nor  did  he  refrain  from  similar  attempts 
in  regard  to  the  Bible.  He  soon  formed,  thereby,  an 
acquaintance  with  well-known  savants,  as  Zunz, 
Geiger,  Frankel  and  Rapoport,  carrying  on  with  the 
latter  a  learned  correspondence.  As  much  as  he 
esteemed  the  honored  Chief  Rabbi  of  Prague,  just  as 
strong  and  undisguised  was  his  contempt  for  some  of 
the  German  preachers  of  Reform.  The  notions  they 
disseminated  soon  led  him  into  a  hot  contest.  In 
1845  ne  came  forth  with  a  Hebrew  pamphlet,  en- 
titled "  Responses  to  Men  of  Evil,"  containing  thirteen 
letters,  principally  directed  against  Dr.  Holdheim. 
Heilprin  did  not  measure  words  when  attacking  those 
whom  he  styled  "  false  prophets"  and  "hypocrites." 
The  work  which,  like  all  his  writings,  appeared 
anonymously,  was  extensively  and  fairly  reviewed  by 
the  historian,  Dr.  Jost,  in  Fiirst's  Orient.  Shortly 
after,  Heilprin  published  his  "  Touchstone "  and 
"  Good  Sense,"  works  in  which  he  exhibited  speci- 
mens of  his  critical  attempts  in  dealing  with  the 
mediaeval  writings,  and  he  sharply  assailed  Geiger, 
whom  he  charged  with  being  the  foremost  repre- 
sentative of  a  movement  more  apt  to  destroy  than 
to  reform  and  purify  Judaism.  He  also  prepared  an 
attack  on  Prof.  Luzzatto,  in  which  he  defended 
Maimonides  from  the  aspersions  of  the  Italian  author. 
Heilprin  wrote   all  his  productions  in  Hebrew,  a 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 29 

language  which  he  handled  with  masterly  skill,  and, 
when  the  subject  allowed  it,  with  admirable  elegance. 
He  was,  however,  generally  inclined  to  blend  Biblical 
sentences  with  Talmudical  phrases.  All  the  treasures 
hidden  in  "  the  sea  of  the  Talmud  "  were  not  only 
known  to  him,  but  he  could  always  apply  them  with 
facility.  He  would  recite,  by  heart,  entire  passages  as 
fluently  and  accurately  as  though  he  read  them  from 
a  book.  Rigorously  strict  in  his  religious  obser- 
vances, but  philosophically  independent  in  his  views, 
he  never  allowed  his  convictions  to  waver.  Judaism, 
in  its  pure,  unadulterated  form,  as  he  understood  it, 
was  his  ideal  of  purity;  his  teacher  of  the  love  of 
God  and  man ;  hence  his  vehement  opposition  to  inno- 
vations which  he  believed  detrimental  to  its  preser- 
vation. 

In  his  political  opinions,  Heilprin  was  inclined  to 
radicalism.  Growing  Russian  oppression  determined 
him,  in  1842,  to  quit  Poland,  and  he  emigrated  with 
his  household  to  Hungary.  When,  after  the  failure 
of  the  revolution  of  1848,  despotism  had  fully  estab- 
lished itself  there,  he  left  for  America,  arriving  in 
1859.  All  his  family  had  preceded  him  in  this  second 
emigration  for  the  sake  of  liberty.  He  resided  suc- 
cessively in  several  cities  of  the  United  States,  and 
finally  took  up  his  abode  in  Washington,  where,  on 
the  30th  of  January,  1863,  he  breathed  his  last. 
While  in  this  country,  he  passed  his  days  in  retire- 


130  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

ment,  but  displayed  warm  interest  in  the  cause  of 
the  Union   and    emancipation. 

Of  Heilprin's  two  sons,  the  elder,  Michael,  born  in 
1823,  ardently  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Hungarian 
revolution  in  1848.  He  was,  by  Kossuth's  prime- 
minister,  Szemere,  attached  to  the  literary  bureau  of 
the  Department  of  the  Interior  in  1849.  He  came  to 
this  country  in  1856.  The  ripe  scholar  has  largely 
contributed  to  the  New  American  Cyclopcedia,  the 
New  York  Nation,  and  other  publications.  He  is 
associate  editor  of  the  American  Cyclopcedia  and  Con- 
densed American  Cyclopcedia.  In  1879  he  issued  the 
first  volume  of  "  The  Historical  Poetry  of  the  An- 
cient  Hebrews,  translated  and    critically  examined." 

Michael  Heilprin's  two  sons,  Louis  and  Angelo, 
and  his  nephew,  Fabian  Franklin,  have  made  success- 
ful debuts  as  contributors  to  American  literature  and 
science  in  the  respective  fields  of  history,  paleontology 
and  mathematics. 


MICHAEL  .  HENRY. 

As  serious  as  are  the  responsibilities  of  a  jour- 
nalist, so  must  his  qualifications  be  varied  and  num- 
erous. To  communicate  that  which  is  useful,  to 
create  a  taste  for  that  which  enlightens  and  refines, 
to  expose  wrong  and  vindicate  right,  requires  a 
pure     heart    and    a     well-trained     mind.       The    late 


.      THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 3 1 

Michael  Henry  gave  unmistakable  evidences  of  hav- 
ing possessed  the  requisites  of  his  vocation. 

Michael  Henry  was  born  at  Kennington,  Eng- 
land, in  February,  1830.  After  receiving  an  educa- 
tion in  the  City  of  London  School,  he  proceeded 
to  Paris,  where  he  found  employment  in  a  counting- 
house.  Thence  he  returned  to  London,  and  entered 
the  office  of  the  Mechanics'  Magazine. 

On  the  demise  of  the  editor  of  that  periodical, 
Mr.  James  Robertson,  Henry  assumed  the  manage- 
ment of  the  business,  which  he  carried  on  from 
1857  until  his  death. 

Before  speaking  of  Mr.  Henry's  connection  with 
the  Jewish  Chronicle,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place 
to  cast  a  glance  at  the  condition  of  Jewish  jour- 
nalism in  England.  From  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century,  attempts  were  made  to  establish 
an  organ  that  would  serve  the  interests  of  Juda- 
ism. The  Hebrew  Intelligencer,  a  monthly  paper,  ap- 
peared in  1823,  but,  after  the  issue  of  three  num- 
bers, it  came  to  an  untimely  end.  In  1834  Dr. 
M.  J.  Raphall  bought  out  his  Hebrew  Review  and 
Magazine  of  Rabbinical  Literature,  which,  though  ad- 
mirably conducted,  became  extinct,  after  a  short  ex- 
istence, for  the  lack  of  support.  The  Voice  of  Jacob, 
originated  in  1 841,  continued  five  years,  but  it  also 
ceased,  owing  to  general  apathy  and  pecuniary 
losses.     After    the    Jewish    Chronicle    had,    for   some 


132  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

time,  remained  alone  in  the  field,  strenuous  efforts 
were  again  brought  about,  by  which  the  Hebrew 
Observer,  the  Hebrew  National  and  the  Jewish  Record 
appeared,  but  none  lived  long.  However,  the  "Jew- 
ish World,  more  recently  started,  shows  signs  of 
permanent    stability,  and  it  is  rapidly  gaining  favor. 

The  Jewish  Chronicle  saw  its  first  days  in  1841, 
meeting  at  the  outset  a  lukewarm  reception.  It 
languished  for  awhile,  but  in  1844  Mr.  Mitchell  re- 
vived it,  and  secured  the  services  of  Mr.  M.  A. 
Bresslau,  a  man  of  unquestionable  attainments. 
Shortly  after  Mitchell's  death,  however,  the  journal 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  Abraham  Benisch, 
with  whom  Michael  Henry  subsequently  associated 
himself.  When  Dr.  Benisch  vacated  the  editorial 
chair  in  1868,  Mr.  Henry  became  his  successor. 
While  in  charge  of  the  Chronicle,  he  exerted  his 
powers  to  obtain  for  his  brethren  a  recognition  of 
their  equality  of  rights,  and  raised  his  Weekly  to 
such  a  high  degree  of  excellence,  that  both  its 
popularity  and  circulation  steadily  increased,  stand- 
ing now  foremost  of  all  the  journals  of  its  class. 

During  the  course  of  his  life,  Mr.  Henry  wrote 
several  poems  and  tales,  and  composed  prayers  for 
his  own  use.  The  founder  of  benevolent  and  edu- 
cational institutions,  he  indefatigably  labored  for  the 
welfare  of  his  fellow-believers.  And,  therewithal, 
he  was  modest  and  unassuming.  His  cordiality  and 
suavity  of  manners,  won  for    him    scores    of  friends. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 33 

In  June,  1875,  when  just  in  the  fulness  of  his 
mental  and  physical  strength,  Michael  Henry  died 
the  victim  of  a  lamentable  accident.  The  direction 
of  the  Jewish  Chronicle  reverted  to  Dr.  Benisch. 
But  lately  the  Jewish  community  have  sustained  a 
great  loss  in  the  removal  from  their  midst  of  also 
this  celebrated  scholar.  His  memory  will  be  per- 
petuated, as  that  of  another  of  Israel's  noble  sons. 

The  Jewish  Chronicle  has  built  for  itself  a  solid 
foundation,  which  will  ensure  its  future  success  as 
a  leading  journal  of  the  Hebrew  people. 

LEVI  HERZFELD. 

The  eventful  history  of  the  Jews  in  Post-Biblical 
times  has  suggested  numerous  works.  In  these,  the 
religious  and  social  condition  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Holy  Land,  while  tributaries  to  foreign  govern- 
ments, has  been  pictured  with  various  success.  The 
prolixity  of  some  writers  has  taxed  the  mind,  the 
brevity  of  others  has  withheld  important  information. 
Though  the  remarkable  production  of  Flavius  Jos- 
ephus— a  production  that  is  really  tne  source  from 
which  all  have  largely  drawn — must  ever  be  perused 
with  satisfaction,  works  of  great  merit  embodying 
facts  which  that  fertile  genius  has  given  us,  can  now 
be  cited.  We  desire  to  introduce  to  the  reader,  in 
a  few  words,  a  man  who  has  acted  his  part  well  as 


134  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

a   Jewish  annalist,    and  has  extended  the   boundaries 
of  literature. 

Rabbi  Levi  Herzfeld  was  born  at  Ellrich,  in  the 
Hartz  Mountains,  Germany,  on  the  27th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1 81 8.  He  studied  Bible  and  Talmud  at  the 
Gymnasium  of  Nordhausen,  and  subsequently  pur- 
sued a  course  of  philosophy,  and  classical  and  ori- 
ental philology,  at  the  University  of  Breslau.  Making 
rapid  progress,  he  acquired  a  large  fund  of  knowl- 
edge. 

Graduating  at  Breslau,  Herzfeld  took  up  again  the 
Talmud,  under  Rabbi  Egers,  of  Brunswick,  whose 
adjunct  he  became  in  1842.  Later,  he  was  chosen 
Rabbi  of  Brunswick.  From  1 861  -'73  he  served 
as  one  of  the  managers  of  the  Jewish  Literary  As- 
sociation, founded    by   Dr.   Philippson. 

From  his  entrance  to  manhood,  Rabbi  Herzfeld 
has  constantly  been  active  in  literary  circles.  As 
early  as  1838  there  appeared  his  "  Translation .  and 
Explanations  of  Ecclesiastes,"  which  gave  at  once 
bright  promise  of  the  young  man's  future.  "  Pro- 
positions for  a  Reform  of  the  Jewish  Marriage-Laws," 
in  1846,  and  "A  Revision  of  the  Prayer-Book,"  in 
1855,  show  the  author's  turn  of  mind.  The  re- 
searches into  the  history  of  commerce  among  the 
Ancient  Hebrews  (1 863 -'5),  reveal  much  that  was 
unknown,  and  an  extraordinary  comprehensiveness 
of  views.     "  Lectures    on  the  Art-Productions  of  the 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 35 

Hebrews"  (1864),  is  a  work  replete  with  original 
and  sound  thought. 

The  principal  merits  of  Herzfeld  lie  in  his  "  His- 
tory of  the  People  of  Israel,  from  the  Destruction  of 
the  Temple  to  the  Elevation  of  the  Maccabean  Simon, 
as  High-Priest  and  Prince,"  in  three  volumes  (1847- 
'5  5-' 57).  In  this  production,  the  incidents  connected 
with  the  periods  dilated  upon  are  treated  in  a  mas- 
terly manner.  The  stirring  occurrences  in  Jewish  an- 
nals are  reviewed,  and  learned  expositions  and  annota- 
tions enrich  the  writing ;  the  whole  being  derived 
from  the  very  best  sources.  The  Rabbi's  fame  may 
worthily  rest  upon  this  one  effort,  for  it  tells  loudly 
of  the  author's  learning  and  industry.  An  abridg- 
ment of  this  work  was  published  in  1870. 

A  succinct  account  is  all  that  has  been  in  our 
power  to  offer  of  the  life  of  one  who  must  be  regarded 
as  an  unquestionable  authority  on  all  topics  bearing 
on  Jewish  history. 

ISRAEL   HILDESHEIMER. 

The  system  which  governs  the  Jewish  ritual, 
and  the  regulations  pertaining  to  public  worship, 
have  undergone,  within  the  last  few  decades,  such 
vicissitudes  that  a  presentation  of  causes  and  effects 
may  well  be  left  to  the  future  historian.  He  will 
be    able   to    dispassionately    lay  down    facts,'  and    do 


I36  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

justice  to  the  main  actors  in  the  exciting  events. 
Still,  in  honor  to  truth  it  must  be  said  that,  among 
the  bold  leaders  who  have  striven  to  preserve  the 
Jewish  religion  as  handed  down  by  the  fathers,  the 
name  of  Israel  Hildesheimer  will  shine  forth  resplen- 
dent. 

Dr.  Israel  Hildesheimer  was  born  at  Halberstadt, 
Prussia,  on  the  20th  of  May,  1820.  His  father,  a 
Hebrew  scholar  of  eminence,  died,  leaving  the  boy 
quite  young.  But,  under  the  care  of  his  mother, 
who  encouraged  him  to  study  diligently,  the  lad's 
talents  were  so  well  cultivated  that  he  early  became 
the  pupil  of  the  famous  Jacob  Ettlinger,  Rabbi  of 
Altona.  Hildesheimer  fathomed  the  depths  of  the 
great  Talmudic  ocean,  and  all  its  flowing  streams. 
He  likewise  turned  his  thoughts  to  knowledge  of  a 
secular  nature,  and  went  to  the  University  of  Berlin 
and  afterward  to  that  of  Halle.  At  the  latter,  he 
received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy /\w  1846. 

On  his  return  home,  the  learning  of  the  new 
teacher  spread  fast.  Scholars  came  from  other  cities 
to  slake  their  thirst  for  rare  information  at  a  foun- 
tain so  copious. 

In  1 85 1  the  Doctor  accepted  a  call  from  Eisen- 
stadt  in  Hungary,  a  place  where  many  distinguished 
divines  had  officiated.  There  his  school  flourished, 
and  a  large  number  of  students  obtained  an  insight, 
not  only    into    Rabbinical    literature,    but    also    into 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  37 

philosophy  and  science — the  best  evidence  of  the 
teacher's  popularity  and  remarkable  abilities.  As 
the  Rabbi  of  Eisenstadt,  he  made  himself  power- 
fully  felt   in  religious  and  educational  affairs. 

On  the  formation  of  the  Orthodox  Congregation 
Adath  Israel  of  Berlin,  in  1 869,  Rabbi  Hildesheimer  • 
received  an  urgent  invitation  to  become  its  spiritual 
guide.  Now  all  his  efforts  were  centred  to  the  ac- 
complishment of  one  design — to  fight  Reform.  The 
sharp-pointed  arrows  he  hurled  against  innovations, 
clearly  revealed  the  position  he  had  assumed.  He 
would  not  yield  an  iota ;  he  would  not  sanction  the 
breach  of  the  slightest  law  or  custom ;  but,  despite 
the  bitterest  opposition  encountered  in  the  course 
he  has  maintained,  all  give  him   credit  for  honesty. 

Among  the  Rabbis  taught  by  Dr.  Hildesheimer, 
and  who  imbibed  his  ideas,  may  be  mentioned  Dr. 
Mayer  Lehmann,  editor  of  Der  Israelii,  of  Mayence ; 
Dr.  Ehrmann,  of  Trier ;  Dr.  Kahn,  of  Wiesbaden  ; 
Dr.  Carlebach,  of  Lubeck ;  Dr.  Marx,  of  Darmstadt ; 
and  Dr.  Cahn,  of  Fulda.  Jn  1875  tne  subject  of 
our  sketch  founded  a  Rabbinical  College,  which  is 
yet  in  a  prosperous  condition,  numbering  about 
fifty  attendants. 

Dr.  Hildesheimer's  untiring  activity  in  the  field 
of  beneficence  might  alone  suffice  to  call  forth 
praise.  He  has  collected  large  sums  for  the  poor 
and  oppressed  of  Palestine,  Persia,  Russia  and  other 


I38  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

countries;  and  he  rendered  excellent  service  dur- 
ing the  late  Franco-Prussian  war,  when,  with  his 
wife,  he  visited  and  provided  for  the  wounded  and 
dying,  alleviating  the  sufferings  of  the  victims  of  a 
fierce  struggle. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1876,  Dr.  Hildesheimer 
celebrated  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  his  career 
as  a  Rabbi,  and  a  becoming  recognition  of  his  worth 
was  offered  by  many  who  regarded  themselves  his 
beneficiaries. 

The  Doctor  has  won  general  affection  by  the 
sterling  qualities  he  has  exhibited.  While  his  ardent 
zeal  has  set  him  against  modifications  in  any  of  the 
anciently  accepted  rules  of  the  Jewish  creed,  his 
enthusiasm  and  devotion  to  principles  deserve  to 
be  recorded  as  an  instance  seldom  met  in  our 
days. 

SAMSON   RAPHAEL   HIRSCH. 

Conspicuous,  not  solely  as  one  of  the  acknowl- 
edged champions  of  Conservative  Judaism,  but  as  a 
profound  theologian,  and  an  active  worker  in  He- 
brew literature,  is  the  venerable  Rabbi,  Samson 
Raphael  Hirsch.  Many  years  have  seen  this  divine 
faithfully  labor  in  the  sacred  trust  confided  to  his 
guardianship.  The  lasting  services  he  has  rendered 
the   Jewish   community    are    significantly   illustrated 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I39 

by  schools  and  educational  institutions  that  foster 
and  disseminate  religious  knowledge.  But  an 
honest  and  uncompromising  adherence  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  Judaism  he  believes  in,  and  a  dauntless 
defence  thereof,  entitle  the  Rabbi  to  the  highest 
commendation. 

Samson  Raphael  Hirsch  was  born  at  Ham- 
burg, Germany,  in  1807.  His  parents  had  designed 
him  for  a  merchant.  That  he  should  choose  the 
ministry  was  far  from  their  thoughts.  But,  evi- 
dently, business  offered  him  no  attraction.  He 
felt  drawn  to  the  college  and  the  pulpit,  and 
openly  avowed  the  bent  of  his  mind.  Accordingly, 
he  proceeded  to  Manheim,  where  he  began  theo- 
logical studies  under  Rabbi  Ettlinger.  He  attended 
the  lectures  at  the  University  of  Bonn,  and,  having 
completed  his  course,  he  was,  in  1830,  ordained 
Chief  Rabbi  of  Oldenburg.  Splendid  must  have 
been  the  qualifications  which  gave  their  possessor. 
a  claim  to  so  high  a  position  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty-three. 

From  that  time  forward,  Rabbi  Hirsch  became 
a  central  pillar  of  the  ancient  fabric  of  Orthodoxy. 
About  the  period  of  his  election  to  the  Rabbinate, 
strenuous  efforts  were  being  made  to  remodel  the 
ritual,  discard  doctrines  deemed  heretofore  inviola- 
ble, reduce  the  number  of  observances,  and  present 
the   worship    in    an    entirely    new    form.       On   the 


140  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

whole,  a  thorough  reconstruction  of  historical  Juda- 
ism was  contemplated.  The  movement  had  gained, 
in  the  lapse  of  a  few  years,  such  strength,  that  to 
grapple  with  it,  required  the  combined  energies  of 
many  who  advocated  the  opposite  views.  Rabbi 
Hirsch,  at  once  realizing  the  situation,  prepared  to 
meet  the  enemy.  With  fiery  zeal  he  assailed  the 
Reform  camp.  The  Rabbi's  "  Nineteen  Letters," 
pleading  for  old  Judaism,  and  written  under  the 
nom  de  plume  of  Ben  Usiel,  created  much  enthusi- 
asm, and  in  so  able  and  masterly  a  manner  were 
the  questions  handled,  that  scholars  were  puzzled  as 
to  their  authorship,  until  the  name  casually  leaked 
out. 

Shortly  after  the  last  production  had  appeared, 
Rabbi  Hirsch  brought  forth  another  learned  work, 
called  "  Horeb,,?  which  treats  of  the  duties  of  Is- 
raelites. He  had  accepted  a  call  from  Emden  in 
Hanover,  but  he  subsequently  became  the  ecclesias- 
tical head  of  the  Jews  of  Nicolsburg  in  Moravia. 
While  there,  he  encountered  the  political  storm  of 
1848,  raging  throughout  Europe,  and  he  had  to  en- 
dure many  troubles  from  attending  circumstances. 
The  Rabbi  obtained  popularity,  however,  to  such  a 
degree,  that  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Aus- 
trian Parliament.  In  that  body  -he  labored  assid- 
uously, and  struggled  hard  to  secure  the  rights  of 
his   fellow-believers,    and    the    recognition    of    their 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I4I 

equality  with  other  classes  of  society.  In  Nicols- 
burg,  Rabbi  Hirsch  devoted  many  hours  to  im- 
parting instruction  in  the  Rabbinical  seminary,  and 
goodly  were  the  fruits  that  sprung  from  his  plant- 
ing. 

In  1 85 1  a  number  of  Israelites  seceded  from 
the  Congregation  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  owing 
to  the  tendencies  exhibited  towards  Reform.  They 
organized,  and  invited  Rabbi  Hirsch  to  be  their 
spiritual  guide.  Determined  to  serve  the  cause  he 
had  espoused,  the  Rabbi  consented  to  go,  notwith- 
standing the  honorable  stations  occupied  at  Nicols- 
burg  and  the  entreaties  of  friends  to  remain.  He  had 
not  been  long  at  Frankfort,  ere  he  effected  a  thor- 
ough revival  in  religious  affairs.  The  Jewish  com- 
munity rose  to  a  flourishing  condition  under  his 
guidance.  On  the  17th  of  September,  1876,  Rabbi 
Hirsch  celebrated  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of 
his  induction  into  office,  and  general  festivities  were 
held. 

As  to  his  literary  works,  in  addition  to  the 
writings  already  mentioned,  Rabbi  Hirsch  com- 
menced issuing,  in  1854,  Jeskurun,  a  monthly  periodi- 
cal, devoted  to  Hebrew  religion  and  literature.  But 
the  most  noteworthy  of  all  his  publications  is  a 
commentary  on  the  Pentateuch,  which  has  just  been 
finished,  and  bears  the  name  of  "  The  Pentateuch 
translated  and  elucidated."      It    affords    decided  evi- 


142  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

dences    of  the   author's    towering   intellect,  and   the 
depth  of  his  research. 

Though  the  Rabbi  has  passed  the  allotted  three 
score  years  and  ten,  he  still  takes  an  earnest  par- 
ticipation in  every  measure  for  the  welfare  of  Is- 
raelites. All  may  not  look  upon  his  opinions, 
touching  certain  points  in  Judaism,  with  reverence, 
but  every  one  must  admit  that  Samson  Raphael 
Hirsch  is  richly  deserving  of  the  fame  earned  by 
a  consistent  and  upright  career. 

SOLOMON   HIRSCHEL. 

From  the  period  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Solomon 
Hirschel  was  elected  Chief  Rabbi  of  the  Great 
(German)  Synagoge,  the  affairs  of  the  English  Jews 
assumed  much  importance.  The  few  incidents  to 
be  narrated  will  clearly  show  the  rapid  strides  taken 
by  our  British  brethren  since  that  time ;  and,  as 
they  are  all  inseparably  connected  with  the  career 
of  Rabbi   Hirschel,   it   is   fit  to   mention  them   here. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Solomon  Hirschel,  though  born 
in  England,  in  1 76 1,  received  his  education  in  Ger- 
many and  Poland.  Hence  the  reason  for  the  lack  of 
a  thorough  acquaintance  with  his  native  language. 
The  father  of  the  Doctor,  Zebi  Hirschel,  had  been  a 
former    Chief  Rabbi   of  the    German    Congregation. 

Dr.  Hirschel,  for  nine  years,  occupied  the  posi- 
tion of  Rabbi   of  Prenzlau,  in   Prussia.     In   1802  he 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 43 

was  called  to  minister  at  the  Duke's  Place  Syna- 
gogue, London.  Endowed  with  keen  perception, 
accurate  scholarship  and  sound  judgment,  Dr.  Hirsch- 
el  did  not  remain  indifferent  to  the  many  wants  of  his 
fellow-believers.  He  noticed  the  division  existing 
between  congregations  that  would  not  have  the 
slightest  connection  with  each  other,  either  by  reason 
of  ritual  differences,  or  by  the  prevalence  of  jealousy 
and  personal  bias.  A  remedy  must  at  once  be  ap- 
plied, and  Dr.  Hirschel  found  it,  in  the  amalgama- 
tion of  the  entire  German  congregations  of  England, 
thus  placing  them  under  one  head.  The  Portuguese 
Jews,  who  had  long  kept  aloof  from  their  German 
brethren,  must  be  reconciled,  and  to  accomplish 
this,  no  little  difficulty  presented  itself.  But  the 
work  was  brought  to  a  successful  issue,  and,  ever 
since,  both  communities  have  labored  together  for 
their  general   well-being. 

The  notable  events  of  Dr.  Hirschel's  Rabbinate 
were  the  establishment  of  useful  institutions,  as  the 
Jews'  Hospital,  and  the  Jews'  Free  School ;  the 
memorable  journey  of  Sir  Moses  Montefiore  to  the 
East,  in  1840;  and  the  unfortunate  schism  in  some 
congregations,  which  terminated  in  the  Reform  move- 
ment and  the  formation  of  the  West  London  Syna- 
gogue, in  1842,  with  the  Rev.  Prof.  D.  W.  Marks 
as   its  pastor.*     It  is  said  that,  were  it  not  for  the 

*For  a  full  account  of  this  separation,  see  Picciotto's  "  Sketches 
of  Anglo- Jewish  History,"  Chapters  L.   and  LI. 


144  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

infirmities  attendant  upon  old  age,  Dr.  Hirschel 
would  have  been  able  to  avert  the  sad  rupture  ;  for 
his  influence  was  always  powerfully  felt,  and  he  might 
have  granted  concessions  effecting  a  reconciliation, 
without  proving  detrimental  to  Orthodoxy.  But 
the  Elders  of  the  various  congregations  refused  to 
entertain  any  of  the  demands  of  the  secessionists. 
Hence  the  result  which  caused  heart-burnings  and 
ill-will.  But  these  ritual  differences  have  happily 
not  impaired  the  political  condition  of  the  British 
Jews.  They  have  stood  nobly  together  when  ques- 
tions of  great  moment,  bearing  on  their  rights,  arose. 
And  now  animosities  have  subsided,  and  the  entire 
Hebrew  community  are  eventually  s  being  drawn  into 
closer  contact. 

Private  troubles,  together  with  congregational 
dissensions,  sorely  grieved  Dr.  Hirschel's  spirit.  In 
his  last  days,  he  could  not  enjoy  repose.  Broken 
down  in  mind  and  body,  he  was  rendered  unfit  for 
service.  Fasting  and  other  deprivations  had  told 
severely  upon  his  constitution.  The  Rabbi  met  be- 
sides with  two  severe  accidents  that  tended  to  shorten 
his  existence.  He  died  October  31st,  1842,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-one. 

The  funeral  of  Dr.  Hirschel,  on  November  2d, 
was  attended  with  imposing  ceremonies.  All  Jewish 
places  of  business  remained  closed,  and  the  utmost 
respect  was  shown  to  the  memory  of  a  man,  who, 
for  forty  years,  had  guided  his  flock  in  the  path  of 
righteousness. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 45 

SAMUEL  HOLDHEIM. 

A  movement  that  aimed  at  the  introduction  of 
radical  changes  in  the  Jewish  ritual,  originated  in 
Germany,  over  fifty  years  ago.  At  first,  it  did  not 
make  great  headway;  but,  as  the  idea  continued  to 
be  agitated  by  its  upholders,  it  soon  took  a  tangi- 
ble form,  and  assumed  large  proportions.  It  bears 
the  name  of  Reform.  To  descant  upon  its  history 
and  progress,  and  the  opposition  it  created,  would 
be  to  write  a  book.  A  brief  sketch  of  an  indi- 
vidual who  is  generally  regarded  as  the  head  and 
front  of  Radicalism,  is  all  that  is  here  attempted. 

Dr.  Samuel  Holdheim  was  born  at  Kempen,  in 
the  province  of  Posen,  Prussian  Poland,  in  1806.  His 
early  education  did  not  extend  further  than  a  famil- 
iarity with  .  the  Bible  and  the  Talmud.  The  great 
proficiency  obtained  in  the  latter,  brought  him  to 
notice  when  yet  a  young  man.  *  At  the  Universities 
of  Prague  and  Berlin,  he  pursued,  with  ardor,  vari- 
ous studies,  but  his  limited  preparation  for  a  col- 
legiate course,  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  gradu- 
ate at  those  institutions.  Nevertheless,  he  acquired, 
within  a  short  space  of  time,  a  remarkable  amount 
of  knowledge,  so  that  he  could  step  before  the 
world,  possessed  of  abilities  superior  to  those  of 
many  of  the  Rabbis  of  his  day. 

In    1836    Holdheim    received  a  call  from  Frank- 


I46  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

fort  on  the  Oder,  whither  he  proceeded.  There, 
his  first  efforts  were  directed  to  advance  the  poli- 
tical interests  of  his  fellow-believers,  and  to  gain 
for  them  liberal  concessions.  He  delivered  a  num- 
ber of  sermons  in  behalf  of  this  cause,  which  were 
given  publication.  In  1839  he  issued  Gottcsdicnst- 
liche  Vortrdge,  in  which  he  treats  of  the  Jewish  holy- 
days,  usages,  etc.  This  work  was  the  subject  of 
polemics  in   the   leading   Jewish    periodicals. 

Holdheim's  scholarly  attainments  secured  public 
recognition  in  1840,  when  the  University  of  Leip- 
zig conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philo- 
sophy. In  the  same  year,  he  was  tendered  the  posi- 
tion of  Chief  Rabbi  of  Mecklenburg-Schwerin,  which 
he  accepted.  In  this  new  field  his  influence  in- 
creased rapidly,  and  the  plans  he  had  in  view  ex- 
cited eager  expectations. 

The  first  of  Dr.  Holdheim's  writings,  that  showed 
a  strong  tendency  to  extreme  notions,  was  his  Ubcr 
d.  Autonomic  d.  Rabbincn  u.  d.  Princip.  dcr  jud.  Ehc, 
which  came  from  the  press  in  1843.  In  it  he  urges 
upon  Jews  the  importance  of  submitting  matrimon- 
ial questions  to  the  law  of  the  land  in  which 
they  sojourn.  The  Rabbi  argues  from  his  own  stand- 
point, and  tries  to  show  that  adherence  to  the  pre- 
scribed ordinances  would  conflict  with  the  duties 
of  citizenship,  and  become  antagonistic  to  liberal 
principles.     To   quote   a   writer's   words :  "  He  held* 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 47 

first,  that  the  autonomy  of  the  Rabbins  must  cease; 
secondly,  that  the  religious  obligations  should  be 
distinct  from  the  political  and  civil,  and  should  yield 
to  the  latter,  as  of  higher  authority;  and,  thirdly, 
that  marriage  is,  according  to  the  Jewish  law,  a 
civil  act,  and  consequently  an  act  independent  of 
Jewish  authorities." 

Oder  d.  Beschneidung  zun'dchst  in  religibs-dogrnat. 
Beziehung,  came  forth  in  1844,  wherein  the  author 
treats  of  the  question  whether  circumcision  is  es- 
sential to  Jewish  membership,  and  expresses  rad- 
ical opinions  as  to  the  efficacy  of  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant.  The  promulgation  of  this  theory 
aroused  the  wrath  of  formidable  opponents,  in  nearly 
every  noted  Rabbi  of  Europe.  But  even  those  who 
condemn  Holdheim's  attacks  on  Jewish  customs  and 
rites,  cannot  fail  to  admire  the  perseverance  with 
which  he  prosecuted  his  designs.  For  he  stood  al- 
most alone,  facing  the  battle  waged  against  him 
by  a  host  of  scholars  of  the  highest  rank.  He 
grew  not  faint  by  the  loss  of  supporters,  but  con- 
tinued to  tenaciously  maintain  his  principles.  To 
this  circumstance,  We  may  principally  attribute  the 
success  of  Reform. 

Dr.  Holdheim  was  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Jewish  councils,  held  from  1843  to  1846.  In  1847 
he  removed  to  Berlin,  to  become  the  leading  spirit 
of  the   Jewish    Reform    Society  of  that  city;  an  as- 


I48  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

sociation  composed  of  persons  who,  on  account  of 
their  pronounced  hostility  to  Conservatism,  had  se- 
ceded from  the  body  of  the  community.  Here,  he 
did  not  relax  in  his  work.  In  addition  to  a  num- 
ber of  short  treatises,  in  pamphlet  form,  written  in 
defence  of  his  position,  and  against  the  advocates 
of  traditional  Judaism,  there  appeared  Religions  u. 
Sittenlehren  d.  Mischnah  z.  Gebrauch  b.  Religions-un- 
terricht  i.  jud.  Religions-schulen,  on  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious teachings  of  the  Mishna,  in  1854;  Gesch. 
der.  jud.  Reformgemeinde,  on  the  history  of  Jewish 
Reform,  in  1857;  followed,  in  the  same  year,  by 
Jud.  Glaubens  u.  Sittenlehre,  on  Jewish  faith  and 
customs ;  and  Gebete  und  Ges'dnge  fur  das  Neujahrs- 
u.  Vers'uhnungsfest,  or  prayers  and  hymns  for  the 
New  Year  and  the  Day  of  Atonement,  in  1859.  A 
number  of  his  sermons  were  separately  published 
after  his  death. 

Dr.  Holdheim  lived  to  see  his  labors  accomplish 
the  ends  he  wished  to  carry  out,  viz :  a  gradual 
extension  of  the  system  for  whose  victory  he  had 
long  fought.  He  died  at  Berlin,  Prussia,  August 
22d,   i860. 

Notwithstanding  the  denunciation  and  forcible 
condemnation  which  the  new  regime  has  met,  we 
would  not  deny  its  mighty  defender  a  claim  to 
sincerity.  He  may  have  believed  that  the  emancipa- 
tion of  his  German  co-religionists  from  notions  which 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I49 

a  state  of  proscription  had  engendered,  demanded  their 
breaking  loose  from  all  ritual  restraints,  and  he  im- 
agined that  the  time  called  upon  him  to  lead  in 
the  change.  Whatever  the  verdict  of  posterity  may 
be  on  the  question  at  issue,  all  will  acknowledge 
that  Samuel  Holdheim  was  talented  and  energetic, 
and  that  he  had  the  courage  of  his  opinions. 


REBEKAH    HYNEMAN. 

A  lady  who,  though  not  born  in  the  Sinaic 
law,  did  much  to  entitle  her  to  a  place  by  the 
side  of  Israel's  illustrious  daughters,  was  Mrs.  Rebekah 
Hyneman.  Her  varied  effusions  breathe  devotion 
to  the  belief  she  eagerly  embraced  in  her  woman- 
hood ;  such  a  devotion,  that  it  alone  might  com- 
mend the  character  of  the  authoress  to  the  res- 
pect of  the  Hebrew  community.  But  she  combined 
a  clear  intellect  with  a  pure  heart,  and  both  were 
directed    to   a    righteous    end. 

Rebekah  Hyneman,  nee  Gumpert,  was  born  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  on  September  8th,  1812. 
When  yet  a  child,  she  evinced  a  strong  desire  for 
knowledge,  and  so  diligently  she  applied  herself  to 
study,  that,  in  a  few  years,  without  the  aid  of  a 
regular  instructor,  she  not  only  mastered  English 
composition,  but  gained  a  correct  idea  of  the 
French    and    German   languages.      This  enabled  her 


150  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

afterward  to  translate  several  pieces,  embodied  in 
her  published  work,  and  of  which  notice  will  be 
taken. 

In  1835  Miss  Gumpert  was  wedded  to  Benja- 
min Hyneman,  brother  of  Leon  Hyneman,  the  well- 
known  writer  on  Free-Masonry,  and  for  many  years 
editor  of  the  Masonic  Mirror  and  Keystone.  Con- 
stitutionally weak,  Mrs.  Hyneman  was  destined  to 
grow  still  feebler  through  untoward  circumstances 
which  sorely  tried  her  faith.  She  was  left  a 
widow,  after  having  enjoyed  but  five  years  of  mar- 
ried life.  One  of  her  sons,  who  had  inherited  his 
mother's  natural  enthusiasm,  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army  during  the  late  Civil  War,  and  died  in  the 
rebel  prison  at  Andersonville  from  sheer  starvation. 
The  other  son,  having  long  endured  bodily  suffer- 
ings, sank  to  an  early  grave.  The  death  of  her 
sister  Sarah,  wife  of  Leon  Hyneman,  intensified  her 
sorrows.  Still  the  bereaved  woman  arose  above 
gloom,  and  turned  her  mind  to  the  task  of  com- 
municating   to   others  her  godly  sentiments. 

Mrs.  Hyneman  was  a  constant  contributor  to 
the  Masonic  Mirror  and  Keystone.  She  wrote  for 
it  a  number  of  original  stories,  essays  on  multifar- 
ious subjects,  fugitive  pieces  of  poetry,  and  fre- 
quently presented  translations  from  the  works  of 
different  foreign  authors.  "  The  Leper  and  Other 
Poems,"   appeared    in   1853.      Many  of  the    subjects 


i 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I5I 

are  Scriptural,  and  show,  in  vivid  colors,  the  feel- 
ings she  entertained  for  the  religion  of  her  choice. 
The  most  notable  poems,  beside  "  The  Leper/'  are 
"Zara,"  "Livia,"  "The  Muses,"  and  some  beautiful 
delineations  of  the  Women  of  the  Bible  and  the 
Apocrypha.  We  reproduce  the  piece,  descriptive 
of  the  drowning  of  Pharaoh  and  his  host  in  the 
Red  Sea,  written  as  an  introduction  to  "  Miriam's 
Song:" 

Retire,  ye  waves  !   roll  back  your  crested  heads — 

Presume  not  to  approach  the  royal  host, 

That  presses  onward  to  your  bosom  now, 

In  glittering  pomp  and  panoply  of  war. 

See  how  they  tower,  those  lordly,  swelling  waves, 

And  form  a  pathway  walled  on  either  side — 

Rides  the  king  safely  now  ? 

The  billows  roll, 
But  not  in  sport,  nor  as  when  tempests  lash 
.  Their  angry  heads,   but  with  a  sullen  sound, 
Murmuringly  and  low — moaning,  as  if  in  pain, 
They  heave  and  rise,  then  slowly  sink  again, 
Impatient  for  the  word  to  set  them  free. 

But  what  has  he,  that  kingly  one,  to  fear? 

Have  they  not  passed  in  safety  o'er  the  path — 

They,  his  hereditary  bondsmen  ? 

And  shall  he,  a  monarch,  a  crowned  King, 

With  all  his  glittering  host  of  armed  men, 

Yield  to  base  coward'  fear  ?     Perish  the  thought ! 

He  comes  to  conquer — hear  ye  not  that  shout? 

It  tells  of  victory  already  won. 

But  see !    the  strange  commotion  in  that  mass ; 

They  turn,  they  flee !     Oh !  gods  of  Egypt,  help ! 

Vain  prayer !    wild  shrieks  burst  on  th'  affrighted  ear, 

And  the  mad  billows  triumph  o'er  the  sound. 

Whose  voice  thus  echoes  o'er  the  raging  waste  ? 


152  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Who  calls  for  help  in  that  wild  surging  sea  ?. 
Mighty  and  dreaded  Pharaoh,  is  it  thou  ? 
Thou  !    why  the  very  waves  laugh  thee  to  scorn  ; 
And  of  thy  train,  the  meanest  follower 
Claims  brotherhood  with  Egypt's  haughty  King, 
And  boasts  as  lordly  sepulture.     Sad  sight — 
Chariot,  and  horse,  and  rider,  each  alike 
Engulfed  in  one  vast  grave. 

As  a  prose  writer,  Mrs.  Hyneman  must  be  also 
assigned  a  prominent  station.  In  addition  to  quite 
a  number  of  miscellaneous  compositions,  she  pro- 
duced her  "  Tales  for  Children,"  which,  together 
with  other  emanations  from  her  pen,  will  soon  be 
issued  in  book-form.  It  is  conceded  that  writing 
for  the  young  presents  singular  difficulties.  The 
ideas  must  be  conveyed  in  the  simplest  style, 
and,  to  accomplish  the  object,  a  perfect  familiarity 
with  the  habits  of  children  is  required.  Mrs. 
Hyneman  is  said  to  display  in  her  "Tales"  a  great 
adaptability  to  the  topic,  arjd  a  grace  and  origi- 
nality that  cannot  fail  to  give  her  stories  an  en- 
during place  in  the  memory  of  their  juvenile 
readers. 

Mild  of  disposition  and  endowed  with  rare  con- 
versational powers,  Mrs.  Hyneman  possessed  a  large 
and  select  circle  of  friends  who  sympathized  with 
her  in  the  tribulations  she  was  doomed  to  bear. 
From  this  affection  she  derived  a  fresh  impulse 
to  divert  her  thoughts  from  the  painful  to  the 
useful;    and,    when    under    intense     agony    from    a 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  I  53 

chronic  disease,  she  received  the  attention  which 
genuine  attachment  and  esteem  alone  can  offer. 
But  her  strength,  slowly  ebbed  away,  and  on  Sep- 
tember 10th,  1875,  the  spirit  of  Rebekah  Hyneman 
passed    into   the   abode    set   apart    for  the  just. 

She  was  truly  a  woman  whose  example  may 
well  be  imitated  by  every  daughter  of  the  race 
of  Abraham. 

SAMUEL  MYER   ISAACS. 

The  stability  of  Judaism  in  America  is  supremely 
due  to  the  endeavors  of  a  few  ministers  of  foreign 
birth,  who  labored  with  singleness  of  purpose.  Half 
a  century  ago  the  communal  condition  of  the  Hebrews 
in  this  country,  was  somewhat  like  a  wild,  unculti- 
vated plain.  It  required  skilful  hands  to  weed,  to 
prune,  and  to  plant  anew ;  and  that  work  became 
the  all-absorbing  object  of  several  spiritual  leaders. 
They  sought  no  self-aggrandizement,  no  popular 
ovations,  but  the  satisfaction  of  having  done  right 
by  elevating  the  character  of  their  co-religionists, 
and  drawing  them  into  a  closer  union.  The  subject 
of  the  present  sketch  is  entitled  to  rank  among 
those  ardent  laborers. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Myer  Isaacs  was  born  at  Leeu- 
warden,  in  Friesland,  Holland,  on  the  4th  of  January, 
1804.     His   father,  a   banker,    had   lost    his   property 


154  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

by  unfortunate  speculations,  and  the  family  emi- 
grated to  England  in  1 8 14,  where  young  Isaacs 
received  his  education.  Of  five  sons,  four  entered 
the   ministry,  viz :    Isaac,  Jacob,  David  and  Samuel. 

After  completing  his  studies,  Mr.  Isaacs  occupied 
the  position  of  Principal  of  a  charitable  and  educa- 
tional institution,  known  as  Neve  Tsedek,  until  1839, 
when  he  set  sail  for  New  York,  to  assume  the 
ministerial  charge  of  the  Congregation  B'nai  Je- 
shurun,  then  worshiping  in  Elm  street.  The  healthful 
effect  of  the  selection  at  once  exhibited  itself.  A 
revival  took  place  in  the  religious  affairs  of  the 
metropolis,  and  the  weekly  sermons  of  Mr.  Isaacs 
aroused  the  lethargic  spirit  of  the  community,  and 
greatly  added  to  the  number  of  attendants  at  his 
Synagogue. 

In  1845  circumstances  occasioned  a  division,  by 
which  the  Congregation  Shaar'e  Tefila  was  called 
into  existence  with  Mr.  Isaacs  as  its  pastor.  His 
energies  now  found  a  wider  scope.  The  zealous  divine 
well  understood  that,  with  the  growth  of  population, 
more  institutions,  tending  to  advance  Jewish  ends, 
and  specially,  to  stem  the  current  of  denominational 
prejudices,  were  needed.  He,  therefore,  used  his 
powers  as  a  speaker,  to  advocate  the  establishment 
of  organizations  that  might  supply  the  various  wants 
of  his  fellow-believers.  Thus  hospitals,  asylums,  and 
beneficial    and     educational    societies   were     founded. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 55 

Co-operating  with  such  men  as  Leeser  and  Raphall, 
Mr.  Isaacs  extended  his  usefulness  in  every  direction. 
He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  formation  of  the 
Board  of  Delegates  of  American  Israelites — an  asso- 
ciation now  merged  with  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations,  and  whose  influence  has  been 
felt  in  far-off  lands — and  he  never  ceased  to  give 
his  counsel  and  personal  aid  to  the  furtherance  of 
its  noble  aims.  He  visited  different  cities  of  the 
United  States,  in  the  interest  of  his  brethren ;  lec- 
tured before  Yale  College,  and  spoke  frequently, 
beyond  his  own  pulpit,  to  large  assemblies. 

While  Mr.  Isaacs  proceeded  in  an  even  way 
towards  the  continuance  of  accepted  practices,  a 
movement,  looking  to  radical  changes  in  the  Jewish 
Church,  was  being  made  with  more  or  less  success. 
Reform  attacked  Conservatism,  thereby  compelling 
its  adherents  to  stand  on  the  defensive.  Mr.  Isaacs 
could  not  remain  indifferent  to  innovations  which 
he  deemed  unlawful.  He  openly  condemned  the 
new  school,  and  employed  the  columns  of  his  weekly 
paper,  the  Jewish  Messenger,  (started  in  1857),  to 
denounce  a  system  in  which  he  saw  the  downfall 
of  traditional  Judaism.  Whether  Mr.  Isaacs  gained 
what  he  strove  for  or  not,  is  a  question  which  it  would 
be  idle  to  discuss. 

The  Jewish  Messenger  has  won  deserved  sup- 
port for  its  consistency,  and  for  the  excellent  manner 


I56  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

in  which  it  has  been  conducted.  During  the  Civil 
War  it  upheld  the  North,  and  attacked  the  insti- 
tution of  slavery.  This  course  led  to  the  temporary 
loss  of  a  large  number  of  subscribers  to  the  jour- 
nal. Mr.  Isaacs'  characteristic  remarks  are  well 
worthy  of  reproduction :  "We  want  subscribers,  for 
without  them  we  cannot  publish  a  paper,  and  Juda- 
ism needs  an  organ ;  but  we  want  much  more  truth 
and  loyalty,  and  for  them,  we  are  ready,  if  we 
must,  to  sacrifice  all  other  considerations."  Mr. 
Isaacs  enjoyed  the  esteem  of  some  of  the  most 
eminent  Americans,  and  of  foreigners,  the  great 
philanthropist,  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  with  whom  he 
frequently  corresponded,  regarding  measures  for. the 
amelioration  of.  the  Jews  of  Palestine.  Mr.  Isaacs' 
charity  was  as  notable  as  were  his  pious  habits.  He 
distributed  of  his  own  to  the  poor,  and  devoted  a 
large  portion  of  his  time  to  succor  the  afflicted. 

The  venerable  minister  of  the  Shaar'e  Tefila  Con- 
gregation, retired  from  office  about  a  year  prior  to 
his  death.  One  of  his  last  public  duties  was  to 
officiate  at  the  funeral  of  his  lamented  colleague, 
the  Rev.  Jacques  J.  Lyons,  who  died  in  August, 
1878.  But  Jewish  affairs  ever  engaged  Mr.  Isaacs' 
thoughts  and  feelings,  and  his  interest  therein  was 
manifested  to   the  last. 

The  long  and  useful  life  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Myer 
Isaacs  closed  on  the   19th  of  May,    1878.     Hebrews 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  57 

throughout  the  Union  hastened  to  pay  a  tribute 
of  respect  to  the  memory  of  one  whose  purity  of 
character  and  steadfastness  of  purpose,  endeared  his 
name  to  young  and  old ;  to  those  who  shared  his 
sentiments,   and   to  others  who   differed. 

Mr.  Isaacs  contributed  largely,  by  his  writings, 
to  the  spread  of  Jewish  literature  in  America,  while 
his  brother  the  Rev.  Prof.  David  Myer  Isaacs,  who 
died  in  the  spring  of  1879,  disseminated  learning 
in  England,  and  became  widely  known  for  his  elo- 
quence and  choice  diction.  The  four  sons  of  the 
deceased  New  York  divine,  Myer,  Jacob,  Isaac,  and 
Abram,  the  last  named  of  whom  is  the  present  editor 
of  the  Jewish  Messenger,  are  respected  alike  as  citizens 
and  Israelites. 


ADOLPH    JELLINEK. 

Pulpit  oratory  is  comparatively  new  among  He- 
brews. Disquisitions  on  some  Scriptural  or  Talmud- 
ical  passage,  which  were  wont  to  satisfy  the  fathers, 
failed  to  attract  their  children.  Hence  a  method  more 
in  accordance  with  the  taste  of  the  age  had  to  be 
adopted.  The  need  was  felt  for  the  presentation  of 
theological  truths  in  a  systematic  manner,  and  it  did 
not  long  remain  unsupplied.  In  Prague  a  Kaempf, 
in  Breslau  a  Joel,  and  in  Vienna  a  Jellinek,  fill 
to-day  positions  which  would  not  suffer  in  comparison 


I58  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

with  those  held  by  noted  dignitaries  of  the  Church. 
But  the  last-named  possibly  bears  the  palm  for  vivid 
imagery,  felicitous  conceptions,  and  admirable  de- 
livery. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph  Jellinek  was  born  at  Drslow- 
itz,  in  Moravia,  Austria,  on  the  26th  of  June,  1821. 
When  still  young  he  studied  Talmud.  Later,  he  fol- 
lowed a  course  of  philosophy  and  Oriental  languages 
at  Prague,  and  finally  at  Leipsic.  His  aptitude  for 
learning  was  readily  discerned  in  the  thoroughness 
with  which  he  acquired  the  knowledge  imparted. 

The  Jewish  community  soon  became  aware  of 
Jellinek's  talents,  and,  in  1845,  he  was  chosen  preacher 
at  Leipsic.  Then  the  latent  fire  broke  forth  in  burn- 
ing thoughts  which  kindled  enthusiasm.  The  influ- 
ence which  the  divine  exerted  in  religious  matters 
kept  pace  with  his  popularity.  Feeling  that  he  must 
address  throngs,  he  urged  the  erection  of  the  new 
Synagogue,  begun  in  1855. 

In  1856  Dr.  Jellinek  went  to  Vienna,  where  he 
has  since  officiated  as  Rabbi-Preacher.  In  that  ca- 
pacity, both  his  voice  and  his  pen  have  ever  been 
brought  into  requisition  for  the  advancement  of  Juda- 
ism and  its  literature.  A  great  feature  in  Jellinek  is, 
that  he  evidences  intense  earnestness  in  all  he  says 
and  writes.  None  who  have  heard  his  sermons,  or 
read  his  effusions,  can  fail  to  notice  that  elocution 
and  well-rounded  sentences  are  not  the  only  merits  of 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I  59 

the  Doctor.  His  discourses  carry  conviction  through 
their  pervading  sincerity,  and  his  productions  create 
profound  impressions,  because  they  emanate  from 
love  of  the  cause  espoused. 

As  a  writer,  Dr.  Jellinek  has  issued  works  of  in- 
trinsic value.  He  has  searched  into  the  dark  laby- 
rinths of  the  Cabbala,  and  has  brought  forth  original 
and  striking  facts  of  special  interest  to  the  votaries  of 
that  mystic  system.  Among  the  Doctor's  numerous 
productions  are :  a  translation  of  Prof.  Adolphe 
Franck's  "  Cabbala,  or  Religious  Philosophy  of  the 
Hebrews,"  1844;  Sefat  Chachamim,  explanation^  of 
Persian  and  Arabian  words  occurring  in  the  Talmud, 
Targumim  and  Midrashim — 1846;  "  Elisha  ben 
Abuya,  called  Acher,"  1847;  "Moses  ben  Shem-Tob 
De  Leon  and  his  Connection  with  the  Zohar,"  1851  ; 
"Contributions  to  the  History  of  the  Cabbala,"  1 85 1  ; 
"Thomas  Aquinas  in  Jewish  Literature,"  1853;  Beth 
ha-Midrash,  a  collection  of  many,  and,  among  them, 
rare  Midrashim,  in  three  volumes,  i853-'5;  Phil- 
osophy and  Cabbala,"  1854;  a  revised  edition  of 
Rashbanis  (Rabbi  Samuel  ben  Mei'r)  commentaries 
on  Canticles  and  Ecclesiastes,  1855;  "Commentaries 
on  Esther,  Ruth  and  Lamentations,  based  on  the 
Exegetical  Method  of  the  French  School,"  1855; 
"  Shaar  ha-Schamayim  of  Rabbi  Joseph  ibn  Lattif," 
a  contribution  to  the  history  of  the  Religio-Philo- 
sophical  movement    in    the   thirteenth  century,    with 


l6o  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

a  historical  introduction — 1865;  and  "  Studies  and 
Sketches,"  1869.  Jellinek  has  also  furnished  articles 
to  different  publications. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  that  the  Doctor  lost  a 
gifted  brother  during  the  political  upheaval  of  1848. 
Hermann  Jellinek  had  already  risen  to  a  conspicuous 
rank,  as  a  terse  and  polished  writer,  and  he  bid  fair  to 
reach  an  extraordinary  eminence.  But  the  reaction 
in  the  affairs  of  government,  which  brought  Metter- 
nich  again  into  power,  doomed  the  outspoken  and 
freedom-loving   Hebrew  to  a  premature  grave. 

Ik 

GEORGE   JESSEL. 

Long  was  Great  Briain  in  learning  that  a  liberal 
policy  is  not  alone  the  most  just,  but  the  most 
profitable.  For  centuries  she  held  her  gates  tight- 
shut  against  the  Hebrew,  and  when  permitting 
him  at  length  to  pass  through,  she  waved  over 
his  head  an  iron  rod.  But  the  once  proscriptive 
England  has  made  amende  honorable.  She  stretches 
forth  her  hand,  and  generously  welcomes  Israel 
within  her  territories.  Nowhere  is  the  people, 
whilom  greatly  despised,  more  exalted  than  in 
the  United  Kingdom  and  its  dependencies.  Nor 
is  the  honor  unappreciated  or  unrequited.  Jewish 
loyalty  and  patriotism  cannot  be  excelled — Prof. 
Goldwin  Smith's  assertions  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstanding.    In   all    departments   those    traits   are 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  l6l 

noticeable,  and,  therefore,  most  delicate  and  respon- 
sible positions  are  rilled  by  the  descendants  of  the 
Patriarchs.  A  very  prominent  character  among  our 
English  Brethren  is  the  present  Master  of  the  Rolls, 
the  first  Anglo-Jew  to  occupy  a  seat  on  the  ju- 
dicial  bench.  i 

The  Right  Hon.  Sir  George  Jessel,  M.  P.,  Q.  C, 
son  .of  the  late  Mr.  Zachariah  Nathaniel  Jessel, 
a  merchant  of  Putney,  was  born  at  London,  Eng- 
land, in  1824.  Having  remarkably  benefited  by 
the  tuition  received  in  his  boyhood,  he  gained 
admission  to  University  College,  London,  gradu- 
ating Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1843.  I*1  the  following 
year  he  was  made  Master  of  Arts,  being  awarded 
a   gold   medal   in   mathematics. 

Mr.  Jessel  commenced  the  study  of  the  law,  and, 
in  May  1847,  he  was  called  to  the  Bar  at  Lincoln's. 
Inn.  His  legal  talents  attracted  the  favorable  notice 
of  the  Government,  and,  in  1865,  earned  for  him 
the  appointment  of  Queen's  Counsel  and  a  Bencher 
of  his  Inn.  Elected  a  Senator  of  the  University 
of  London,  he  was  also  returned  to  Parliament  in 
1868  by  the  Liberals,  as  one  of  the  representa- 
tives for  the  borough  of  Dover.  In  all  these  offi- 
ces,  Mr.  Jessel's  demeanor  redounded  to  the  gen- 
eral advantage,  as  well  as  to  his  own  credit.  But 
exertions  wisely  directed  were  destined  to  a  glori- 
ous  lot. 

The    subject    of    our    sketch    became    Solicitor- 


1 62  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

General  in  November,  1871,  under  the  Right  Hon. 
W.  E.  Gladstone's  administration,  and,  on  Febru- 
ary 2 1  st,  1872,  his  services  were  publicly  rewarded 
by  his  elevation  to  the  knighthood.  In  August, 
1873,  on  the  recommendation  of  Mr.  Gladstone,  he 
was  chosen  Master  of  the  Rolls,  to  succeed  Lord 
Romilly,  being  at  the  same  time  sworn  as  a  mem- 
ber  of  the   Privy   Council. 

An  experience  of  seven  years  has  amply  justified 
the  choice.  With  firmness  and  ability  are  the  laws 
enforced.  The  discipline  maintained  in  the  Court 
over  which  Sir  George  presides,  was  shown  re- 
cently by  the  expulsion  of  an  individual  who  dis- 
turbed the  proceedings.  The  offended  man — dis- 
covered, however,  to  be  of  unsound  mind — attempted 
the  life  of  the  judge.  Fortunately  for  the  would- 
be  assassin,  he  lived  under  the  shades  of  the  Court 
of  St.  James,  and    not   at   St.    Petersburg. 

Sir  George's  co-religionists  have  found  in  him 
one  truly  deserving  of  their  respect,  on  account  of 
his  open  adherence  to  the  ancestral  religion  and 
warm  advocacy  of  their  interests.  The  feelings  thus 
nurtured  are  growing  stronger  with  the  lapse  of 
time,  and  in  proportion  as  the  country  recognizes 
in  the  man  who  fears  Israel's  God,  one  eminently 
fitted  for  his  high  station,  through  acumen,  sound- 
ness  of  judgment,   and   equanimity.* 


*Sir  George  is  said  to    be    the   greatest   equity  lawyer  who  has 
sat  in  the  Master  of  the   Rolls'  Court  during  the  present  generation. 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  1 63 

The  career  of  Sir  George  Jessel  has  hitherto 
been  stamped  with  the  seal  of  universal  commen- 
dation, and  Israelites  everywhere  may  well  wish 
that,  to  its  very  end,  it  may  bear  the  same  dis- 
tinguishing impress. 


JOSEPH  JOACHIM. 

The  violin  is  everywhere  considered  one  of  the 
favorite  musical  instruments.  Its  sound,  when  airs 
are  discoursed  by  acknowledged  masters,  enchains 
the  thoughts.  Music  may  really  be  regarded  an  in- 
spired gift.  How  it  wields  a  power  which  affects 
even  inferior  animals,  is  beyond  human  description. 
But  to  avoid  a  discussion  of  the  merits  of  this 
wonderful  art,  it  may  be  merely  said,  by  way  of 
introduction,  that  Joachim  stands  foremost  among 
living  violinists. 

Joseph  Joachim  was  born  at  Keczel,  a  small  vill- 
age near  Presburg,  Hungary,  July  15th,  183 1.  At 
a  very  early  age,  he  displayed  a  fondness  for  music. 
One  day  the  child  visited  an  inn  where  a  band 
of  gypsies  was  playing,  and  listened  to  the  strange 
melody  with  wonder  and  delight.  He  eyed  curi- 
ously the  fiddle-sticks,  gliding  and  skipping  across 
the  strings,  from  which  escaped  such  singularly 
weird  and  merry  tunes.  Returning  home  he  took 
an    old    guitar,    and   began  knocking  on  the  strings, 


164  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

trying  to  produce  the  sounds  he  had  heard.  This 
amused  his  father,  who  presented  the  boy  with  a 
violin. 

From  that  moment,  young  Joachim's  future  life 
was  mapped  out.  He  soon  commenced  studying  un- 
der several  musicians,  and  in  his  seventh  year  cre- 
ated, by  his  playing,  a  sensation  destined  to  be 
nevermore  forgotton.  At  the  Vienna  Conservatory, 
Helmesberger  and  Bbhm  afforded  him  instruction. 
He  afterwards  went  to  Leipsic,  performing  at  a  con- 
cert, and  evoking  a  storm  of  applause.  Appearing 
in  London,  he  at  once  convinced  the  English  peo- 
ple that  he  was  above  the  class  known  as  "  youth- 
ful prodigies." 

In  1850  Joachim  accepted,  at  the  solicitation  of 
Liszt,  the  post  of  Concert-Master  at  Weimar.  This 
situation  was  exchanged  in  1853,  for  a  similar  one 
at  Hanover.  In  1866  he  became  Director  of  the 
Academy  of  Music  of  Berlin,  where  he  still  remains. 
He  makes  frequent  visits  to  England,  Holland  and 
Belgium,  but  a  natural  reluctance  to  being  lionized, 
has  led  him  to  decline  numerous  offers  for  a  con- 
cert tour  in  the  United  States.  The  Cambridge 
University  recently  honored  him  with  the  title  of 
Doctor  Musica. 

The  chief  points  of  Joachim's  excellence  are  (we 
quote) :  "  purity  and  fulness  of  tone,  perfect  intona- 
tion,  absolute   mastery   of  all   the  technical  difficul- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 65 

ties  of  the  instrument,  and  the  closest  sympathy 
with  the  classical  composers,  whose  works  he  in- 
terprets." Though  Joachim  has  written  composi- 
tions of  a  high  order,  both  for  violin  and  orches- 
tra, his  fame  is  principally  due  to  his  qualities  as 
a  player,  and.  to  the  great  worth  of  his  perform- 
ances. 


MICHAEL  JOSEPHS. 

In  the  various  walks  of  life,  individuals  may  be 
found  who,  notwithstanding  their  remarkable  talents, 
have  never  attained  popularity.  This  is  generally 
attributed  to  the  modest  and  unostentatious  de- 
meanor characterizing  them.  Another  cause  may 
be  the  indiscriminate  praise  often  bestowed  upon 
persons  of  ordinary  abilities,  inducing  the  truly  de- 
serving to  remain  in  retirement.  This  discouraging 
fact  should  not,  however,  deter  the  historian  from 
seeking  where  merit  exists,  and  according  it 
commendation.  Those  who  have  labored  to  elevate 
humanity  are  entitled  to  public  notice,  be  they  ever 
so  humble  or  unassuming.  A  memoir  of  one  who 
rendered  great  service  to  Anglo-Judaism  may  be  of 
interest. 

Michael  Josephs  was  born  at  Kbnigsberg,  Prus- 
sia, in  1763.  His  young  years  were  employed  in 
studying   the  Bible   and  collateral  works.     On  leav- 


1 66  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ing  for  England,  when  but  sixteen,  he  already  pos- 
sessed a  store  of  Hebrew  knowledge.  About  the 
time  of  his  departure  from  Germany,  the  educational 
movement,  led  by  Mendelssohn,  had  gained  much 
ground,  and  Mr.  Josephs  became  at  once  convinced 
of  its  practicability  and  usefulness. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Great  Britain,  Mr. 
Josephs  brought  forth  several  Hebrew  poems,  and 
other  productions  in  prose.  Their  avowed  worth 
elicited  frequent  requests  that  the  author  would  pre- 
pare odes  and  anniversary  poems  for  different  Jew- 
ish associations.  Quite  a  number  of  minor  pieces 
proceeded  from  the  same  source,  and  they  were 
read  with  eagerness  by  the  lovers  of  Hebrew  litera- 
ture. But  Mr.  Josephs'  reputation  increased  very 
considerably,  when  his  principal  work,  a  Hebrew 
and  English  Lexicon,  appeared.  It  was  dedicated  to 
his  Royal  Highness,  the  Duke  of  Sussex, — a  patron 
of  Hebrew  lore,  and  so  cleverly  arranged  as  to 
materially  assist  the  student  of  Biblical  and  Post- 
Biblical  writings. 

Mr.  Josephs  was  also  active  among  organizations 
of  learning.  He  took  part,  in  1830,  in  forming  a 
Hebrew  Literary  Society,  and  though,  as  a  merchant, 
business  consumed  a  large  portion  of  his  time, 
many  hours  were  devoted  to  aid  intellectual  pro- 
gress. Perfectly  familiar  with  all  matters  relat- 
ing  to    Hebrew   composition,   his  opinion    upon   the 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 67 

subject  was  consulted  by  celebrated  Rabbis.  Mr. 
Josephs  is  regarded  as  the  first  to  have  urged  the 
propriety  of  refuting  the  aspersions  cast  on  the  books 
of  Jewish  traditions  in  "  M'Caul's  Old  Paths;"  a  sug- 
gestion which  was  afterwards  carried  out. 

Strict  in  his  religious  observances,  he  was  toler- 
ant and  careful  in  judging  of  the  motives  of  those 
who  did  not  adhere  to  the  strict  letter  of  the  law. 
Thoughtful  and  discreet,  he  would,  like  Socrates, 
often  say,  "  Let  us  sacrifice  a  cock  to  ^Esculapius." 
Mr.  Josephs  freely  employed  his  pecuniary  means 
to  benefit  his  fellow-creatures.  He  was  summoned 
before  his  Maker  in  1849,  having  attained  the 
ripe  age  of  eighty-six.  In  him  we  have  a  bright 
illustration  of  a  man  who  directed  his  mind  and 
substance  to  a  channel  whence  his  brethren  might 
draw  vast  advantages. 

ISAAC  MARCUS  JOST. 

The  works  of  Zacuto  and  of  Gans  are  invaluable, 
when  consideration  is  made  to  the  times  in  which 
they  were  written,  and  to  the  knowledge  within 
reach  of  their  authors.  But,  for  a  systematic,  com- 
prehensive, and  carefully  collated  history  of  the 
Jewish  people  and  its  literature,  the  largest  debt  of 
gratitude  is  due  to  German  Israelites.  Of  modern 
workers   in  this  department,  Jost  was,  it  is  conceded, 


1 68  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

the  pioneer,  for  he  pointed  out  the  way,  in  following 
which,  others  have  excelled.  It  is,  therefore,  right 
that  his  name  should  be  first  in  the  thought 
of  all  who  value  that  which  his  pen  has  popular- 
ized. 

Dr.  Isaac  Marcus  Jost  was  born  at  Bernburg, 
Germany,  February  22d,  1793.  During  the  same 
year,  his  father  became  totally  blind,  and  Isaac, 
when  only  five  years  of  age,  had  to  labor  for  the 
support  of  a  large  family.  After  the  death  of  his 
father,  in  1803,  he  resided  with  his  grandfather  at 
Wolfenbiittel. 

Dr.  Jost  received  his  first  education  at  the  He- 
brew school  in  Bernburg.  Soon,  however,  he  was 
admitted  into  the  Samson  Institute,  where  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  that  great  savant,  Dr.  Leopold 
Zunz,  and  the  two  scholars  became  intimate  associates. 
Both  made  rapid  progress,  and  were  promoted  to 
the  highest  class.  In  181 3  Jost  entered  the  Uni- 
versity of  Gbttingen,  where,  for  one  year  and  a  half, 
he  pursued  studies  in  history,  philology,  philosophy 
and  theology;  and  removed,  in  1814,  to  the  Univer- 
sity of  Berlin,  from  which  he  graduated  in  18 16. 
Shortly  after,  he  opened  a  school  at  Berlin,  that 
Christians,  as  well  as  Jews  attended.  He  accepted, 
in  1835,  the  head-mastership  of  the  Jewish  Normal 
School,  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  in  which  capacity 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 69 

Now  to  speak  of  the  literary  labors,  of  Dr.  Jost. 
While  at  college,  he  penned  several  minor  composi- 
tions of  great  excellence.  But  the  first  work  that  at- 
tracted general  attention  is  the  one  upon  which  rests 
his  fame.  "  History  of  the  Israelites, "  in  twelve 
volumes, — nine  of  whjch  appeared  in  the  years  1819- 
1827,  and  the  remaining  three  in  1845 — *s  tne  first 
of  its  own  kind  issued  complete  since  the  days  of 
Josephus,  and  the  result  of  gigantic  labors  on  the 
part  of  its  author.  The  vast  amount  of  reading 
and  research  necessary  to  the  accomplishment 
of    such   a  prodigious   task,    baffles   description. 

It  must  futhermore  be  remembered  that  there 
were  then  fewer  sources  from  which  to  derive  informa- 
tion, than  are  now  opened  to  the  student  of  history. 
The  perseverance  of  Dr.  Jost  in  the  prosecution  of 
his  work,  must  have  been,  indeed,  wonderful.  In 
1 83 1 -1 834  were  published  a  "  General  History  of  the 
Jewish  Nation,"  in  two  volumes,  being  an  abridg- 
ment of  the  former  work ;  a  German  translation  of 
the  "  Mishna,"  with  a  Rabbinical  exposition,  etc. 

Dr.  Jost  edited  a  weekly  journal  from  1839  to 
1 84 1,  called  The  Israelitish  Annals,  which  numbered 
among  its  contributors  some  of  the  ablest  Jewish 
writers,  and  furnished  its  readers  with  articles  of  rare 
literary  merit.  On  its  discontinuance,  he  started,  in 
conjunction  with  his  friend,  Creiznach,  a  periodical  in 
Hebrew,  entitled  Zion,  of  which  two  volumes  ap- 
peared. 


170  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

It  was  but  a  short  time  ere  the  German  scholar 
brought  forth  another  great  production,  in  the  shape 
of  a  "  History  of  Judaism  and  its  Sects,"  in  three 
volumes,  and  which,  a  writer  says,  -"  may  fitly  make 
the  top  stone  of  the  great  historical  edifice,  he  had 
reared  so  perfectly  from  the  outset." 

Dr.  Jost  indited  a  large  number  of  miscellaneous 
essays  and  criticisms,  and  contributed  to  various 
journals  and  magazines.*  His  labors  effectively  tended 
to  elevate  the  moral  status  of  Judaism. 

Dr.  Jost's  philanthropic  efforts  also  deserve  notice. 
He  became  the  "  father  of  the  fatherless,"  in  establish- 
ing an  asylum  for  the  protection  and  care  of  orphans. 
The  means  he  acquired  were  liberally  spent  in  alle- 
viating the  miseries  of  his  fellow-beings,  until  death 
put  an  end  to  his  kind  ministrations,  on  the  20th  of 
November,    i860. 

A  sympathetic  disposition  and  a  courteous  de- 
meanor, combined  with  commanding  talents,  were 
brilliant  features  in  the  character  of  Dr.  Jost.  They 
should  inspire  universal  admiration  for  a  man  whose 
whole  life  was  an  exemplification  of  what  well-directed 
energies  can   achieve. 

MARCUS  M.  KALISCH. 
An    inestimable    debt  of  gratitude  is  due  to  the 
humble-minded  philosopher  of  Dessau.     For   he  set 

*Dr.  Jost  published  in  1830,  his  "Explanatory  Dictionary  to 
Shakspeare's  Plays." 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  I/I 

the  wheel  in  motion,  which  still  rolls  on  with  unabated 
celerity.  Since  the  days  of  the  immortal  Mendels- 
sohn, Germany  has  become  a  new  Attica,  and  her 
Jewish  denizens  have  a  primary  title  to  distinction. 
Into  the  vast  sea  of  literary  research  they  have  dived 
deeply,  and  into  that  which  pertains  to  Hebrew 
knowledge  their  investigations  are  singularly  pro- 
found. The  number  of  scholars  that  first  saw  the 
light  of  day  in  that  section  of  Europe,  has  multiplied 
in  a  manner  which  makes  one  almost  shrink  at  the 
thought  of  drawing  an  outline  of  the  life  and  deeds 
of  even  the  smallest  minority.  Still,  what  a  scion 
of  the  ancient  race  has  done  must  be  told,  so  that 
many  may  be  induced  to  obtain  a  familiarity  with 
the  emanations  of  a  fertile  brain. 

Marcus  M.  Kalisch,  M.  A.,  Ph.  D.,  was  born  at 
Trepton,  in  the  province  of  Pomerania,  Prussia,  on 
the  1 6th  of  May,  1828.  Educated  at  Berlin,  first 
in  the  Grammar  School,  directed  by  Dr.  Ribbeck, 
and  then  at  the  University,  he  profited  well  by 
what  had  been  imparted.  At  college,  he  studied 
classical  philology  under  Boekh  and  Laihmann,  and 
the  Semitic  languages  and  Biblical  sciences  under 
Petermann,  Benary,  Kingstenburg,  Vatke,  and  others. 
Much  of  his  time  was  also  given  to  the  Talmud,  both 
in  private  and  at  the  Rabbinical  Institute.  In  1848 
he  received   several  degrees  at  Berlin  and  at  Halle. 

In  the  following   year,  political   disturbances   led 


172  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Dr.  Kalisch  to  bid.  farewell  to  his  native  country. 
He  proceeded  to  England,  where  he  took  up  a  per- 
manent residence.  Immediately  on  his  arrival  at 
the  metropolis,  he  engaged  in  literary  pursuits. 
While  contributing  to  periodicals  ot  Great  Britain 
and  the  Continent,  he  also  delivered  lectures  on  sec- 
ular and  theological  topics.  His  thorough  culture 
and  versatile  powers,  enabled  him  to  master  philoso- 
phy, which  he  applied  to  Biblical  exegesis.  Thus  he 
attracted  the  notice  of  the  religious  authorities  of 
his  fellow-believers,  and  served  in  the  capacity  of 
Secretary  to  Chief  Rabbi  Adler. 

But  Dr.  Kalisch  was  bent  on  the  attainment  of 
a  special  object, — that  of  reviewing  the  Scriptures 
with  unsparing  criticism.  To  that  end,  he  relinquished 
,all  other  occupations.  Supported  by  the  Rothschilds, 
•with  whom  he  stood  in  very  friendly  relations,  he 
worked  with  indefatigable  energy,  and  in  1855  pub- 
lished his  first  volume,  entitled  "  A  Historical  and 
•Critical  Commentary  on  the  Old  Testament,  with 
a  new  Translation — Exodus."  The  second,  "  Genesis," 
appeared  in  1858;  the  third,  "Leviticus,  Part  I., 
.containing  Chapters  I.  to  X.,  with  Treatises  on  Sac- 
orifices  and  the  Hebrew  Priesthood,"  in  1867;  and 
'the  fourth,  "Leviticus,  Part  1 1.,  containing  Chapters 
XL  to  XXVII.,  with  Treatises,"  in  1872.  It  is  as- 
serted that,  while  lucidness  and  erudition  are  con- 
stantly   displayed    in     these    commentaries,    radical 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 73 

opinions  are  set  forth  as  to  the  authenticity  and 
correctness  of  certain  texts  and  chapters  of  Holy 
Writ. 

Dr.  Kalisch  has  also  composed  a  Hebrew  Grammar. 
Toward*  the  close  of  1872  he  was  prostrated  by  a 
severe  illness,  which  hindered  his  labors  for  a  lengthy 
period.  When  partially  recovered,  in  1876,  he  re- 
sumed them  with  earnestness.  In  1877  he  issued 
the  first  part  of  "Bible  Studies,"  comprising  annota- 
tions on  "  The  Prophecies  of  Balaam."  The  second 
part,  on  "  The  Book  of  Jonah,  preceded  by  a  Trea- 
tise on  the  Hebrew  and  the  Stranger,"  has  lately 
been  offered. 

As  no  intelligent  person  would  like  to  check  an 
instinct  which  stimulates  the  brightest  minds  to 
soar  above  their  ken,  so  it  would  be  wrong  to  de- 
precate the  attempts  to  subject  the  revealed  books 
to  the  same  process  of  investigation  as  writings  of 
of  human  Creation.  Anything  possessing  the  ele- 
ments of  truth  will  come  forth  unhurt  from  the 
searching  test.  Dr.  Kalisch  may,  therefore,  be  wished 
unimpeded  success '  in  the  prosecution  of  his  aims, 
and  the  continuance  of  health  to  proceed  without 
interruption. 

MOSES   KAYSERLING. 

That   the    preservation    of   sacred    literature    is  a 
great  boon,  admits  of  no  question.     In  learning  how 


174  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

much  has  been  accomplished  in  the  past,  the  mind 
will  retain  its  elasticity,  and  the  heart  will  feel 
prompted  to  cherish  and  set  off  the  real  object  of 
our  boast.  How  many,  now  prominent  before  the 
world,  might  have  lived  and  died  in  obscurity,  but 
for  the  sentiments  aroused  by  a  knowledge  of  the 
endeavors  of  a  choice  band  of  ardent  laborers  ?  To 
such  feelings  may  be  due  the  restless  activity  of 
one  of  the  most  prolific  writers ;  one  who  very  nigh 
rivals  the  illustrious  Steinschneider.  True,  his  ef- 
forts have  not  taken  the  immense  range  which 
that  master's  herculean  work  embraces.  But  the 
painstaking,  accuracy,  and  the  conscientiousness 
which  have  been  made  to  subserve  a  vast  eru- 
dition, will,  doubtless,  be  employed  to  increase 
the  number  of  Moses  Kayserling's  works.  To  our 
readers  we  say  :  do  not  judge  of  the  merits  of  the 
man   by   the    space    devoted   to    his    biography. 

Dr.  Moses  Kayserling  was  born  at  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, on  June  17th,  1829.  He  obtained  elementary, 
and  subsequently  higher,  instruction  in  his  native 
city.  Declared  fit  for  a  collegiate  education,  he  at- 
tended the  University  of  Berlin.  There,  after  a 
course  of  difficult  studies,  he  graduated. 

Kayserling.  did  not  exhibit  in  early  life  the 
marked  aptitude  for  which  some  of  his  contempor- 
aries have  been  distinguished.  But  he  thoroughly 
compensated    for   that    in    later   years.     A  feeling  of 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  175 

humility  may  have  held  him  back;  modesty  may 
have  counseled  slowness,  to  avoid  a  fall  on  the 
high  road  to  learning.  Hence  his  comparative  tar- 
diness in  appearing  as  an  author.  But  he  gathered 
experience,  and  gave  us  in  manhood  the  ripe  fruits 
of  his  meditation. 

In  1 86 1  the  Government  of  Aargau  appointed 
Dr.  Kayserling  Rabbi  of  the  Swiss  Jews.  In  that 
office,  he  used  his  exertions  to  secure  religious  and 
political  privileges,  until  then  denied,  in  many  Can- 
tons of  the  Helvetic  Confederacy,  to  the  adher- 
ents of  Mosaism.  In  1870  he  was  chosen  Rabbi 
and  Preacher  of  the  influential  Jewish  community 
of  Pesth,  Hungary.  His  versatile  knowledge  is  at- 
tested by  the  able  discharge  of  his  ministerial  duties, 
as   well   as   by   the    productions    of  his    pen. 

Dr.  Kayserling  has  issued  numerous  works  which 
will  ever  interest,  by  reason  of  the  topics  discussed 
and  the  tone  pervading  them.  All  his  writings 
are  in  the  German  language.  An  ardent  admirer 
of  the  scholars  to  whom  the  Iberian  peninsula  gave 
birth,  during  the  Middle  Ages,  he  has  bestowed 
his  attention  specially,  and  with  acknowledged  suc- 
cess, on  Sephardic  literature.  "  Romanic  Poetry 
of  the  Jews  of  Spain,"  came  out  in  1859;  "A 
Holiday  at  Madrid — A  Chapter  of  the  History  of 
the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  Jews,"  in  1859;  History 
of  the  Jews  of  Spain  and  Portugal,"  in   i860;    "The 


I76  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Life  and  Writings  of  Menasseh  ben  Israel,"  in  1 861  ; 
"History  of  the  Jews  of  England,"  in  1861  ;  "The 
Life  and  Writings  of  Moses  Mendelssohn,",  in  1862; 
and  "The  Poet,  Ephraim  Kuh — A  Contribution  to 
the  History  of  German  Literature,"  in  1867.  "Select 
Library  of  a  Jewish  Preacher,"  begun  in  1870,  will 
comprise  several  volumes  when  completed.  The 
Doctor  has  largely  contributed  to  German  publica- 
tions, and  he  has  also  given  us  valuable  works 
on  the  history  of  eminent  sons  and  daughters  of 
Israel,  from  the  earliest  to  the  .present  day. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  any  one  conver- 
sant with  the  diction  and  spirit  of  both  languages, 
who  should  undertake  the  translation  of  Dr.  Kay- 
serling's  writings  into  our  vernacular,  would  con- 
fer a  benefit  on  English-speaking  Israelites,  and 
earn  an  enviable  notoriety. 

MINNA   KLEEBERG. 

Those  who  admire  the  poetry  of  the  father- 
land of  Goethe,  will  be  stirred  by  the  effusions  of 
a  Jewess  glowing  with  enthusiasm  for  the  good 
and  true.  A  short'  time  ago  the  pen  which  gave 
form  to  heavenly  thoughts  was  guided  by  a  pure 
hand.  And  now  Death  holds  that  hand  in  its  cold 
grasp.  But  the  fell  destroyer  could  not  extin- 
guish   the    fire    which    burnt    within    the    soul.     It 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 77 

still  emits  brilliant  sparks,  in  writings  of  touching 
loveliness.  Our  only  regret  is,  that  we  cannot 
enkindle  therewith  those  whose  mother-tongue  is 
English,  for  Minna  Kleeberg  wrote  in  German. 
Did  we  even  possess  the  ability,  we  would  not 
venture  upon  a  version  which  might  mar  natural 
beauty.  The.  works,  entitled  to  eminence,  because 
of  the  sympathy  they  awaken  for  the  sufferer, 
and  the  reverence  they  inspire  for  the  merciful, 
will  partly  be  mentioned  without  comment.  But 
it  is  our  earnest  wish  that  they  may  find,  in  the 
original,  the  number  of  readers  which  their  in- 
trinsic  value    deserves. 

Minna  Kleeberg  was  born  at  Elmshorn,  in  the 
province  of  Holstein,  Germany,  on  July  21st,  1841. 
The  daughter  of  Dr.  Cohen,  a  physician  of  note, 
her  natural  talents  soon  told  of  what  they  were 
capable.  Under  the  guidance  of  her  father,  she 
enjoyed  the  advantage  of  a  careful  training,  and 
thus  acquired  a  surprising  amount  of  information 
on  general  topics,  long  before  arriving  at  maturity. 
While  yet  a  young  girl,  she  devoured  works  of  a 
poetical  and  scientific  character,  in  German,  French 
and  English.  Her  attachment  to  the  sublime  art 
soon  manifested  itself.  Attentive  to  household  duties, 
she  still  kept  her  mind  continually  alive  upon  sub- 
jects, in  the  treatment  of  which  she  so  excelled 
in  after  years.  When  a  child,  she  traced  lines  in- 
dicative   of  the   future    in    store   for   her  abilities. 


178  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

In  1862  Miss  Cohen  married  the  Rev.  Dr.  L. 
Kleeberg.  Up  to  that  year,  her  verses  did  not 
claim  attention  outside  of  the  Jewish  circles  of  her 
native  town.  But  now  she  began  to  send  forth 
words  that  could  not  fail  to  challenge  the  applause 
of  multitudes.  The  learned  sought  her  acquaint- 
ance, and  among  them  the  poet  Rittershaus  was 
numbered. 

Shortly  after  Mrs.  Kleeberg  had  written  Das  Lied 
vom  Salz,  a  poem  on  the  oppressive  tax  imposed 
on  salt  by  Prussia,  a  convention  of  literary  cele- 
brities took  place  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main.  Dis- 
cussions as  to  the  merits  of  certain  productions 
elicited  the  remark  that  Jewish  authors  lacked  patri- 
otism, and  that  they  did  not  properly  understand 
how  to  give  effect  to  their  utterances.  Thereupon 
Rittershaus  read  to  the  assembly  the  composition 
above-mentioned.  All  listened  breathlessly.  The 
piece  was  pronounced  a  model.  The  surprise  may 
well  be  imagined,  when  the  faith  of  the  authoress 
was  disclosed.  No  more  would  the  hearers  dare 
cast  reflections  on  the  ancient  people,  for  the  words, 
"  The  one  who  thus  feels  and  writes  is  a  Jewess," 
shamed  them  into  perfect  silence. 

Mrs.  Kleeberg  thus  earned  an  extensive  fame, 
which  increased  when,  during  the  late  Franco-Ger- 
man war,  she  heightened  the  zeal  of  many,  by  her 
generous  outpourings  in  behalf  of  her  native  country. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 79 

The  strength  of  her  religious  convictions  forced  her 
to  publicly  repel  the  malicious  accusations  of  Richard 
Wagner  and  Prof.  Billroth  against  her  race.  Her 
emanations  gained  the  well-timed  praise  of  such 
personages  as  Prince  Bismarck  and  Herr  Lasker, 
who   sent   letters   expressive    of  their   thanks. 

When  Mrs.  Kleeberg  came  to  the  United  States, 
the  reputation  which  had  preceded  her  drew  to- 
wards the  poetess  some  of  the  ablest  representatives 
of  literature  in  its  various  branches.  She  was  chosen 
a  member  of  several  societies,  composed  of  indi- 
viduals conspicuous  in  the  ranks  of  letters,  science 
and  the   fine   arts. 

Prominent  among  the  poems  of  Minna  Kleeberg 
are  Die  West  Mauer  des  Tempels,  In  Gottes  Nanien, 
Bar-Mizva,  Dima  ben  Nethina,  Im  Ebenbilde  Gottes, 
Schach,  and  Dichterweihe.  Most  of  these,  besides 
others  we  omit  naming,  were  contributed  to  Dr.  L. 
Stein's  Freitag  Abend,  of  Frankfort-on-the-Main.  The 
writings  of  Mrs.  Kleeberg  have  been  collected  and 
published. 

Painful  it  is  to  record  that  strides  taken  in  the 
career  of  honor  and  usefulness  were  suddenly  stopped 
short.  The  gifted  authoress  was  not  permitted  to 
fully  reap  the  harvest  of  her  sowing.  When  not 
thirty-eight  years  of  age,  Minna  Kleeberg  sadly  bade 
farewell  to  the  world,  in  which  so  much  that  she 
yearned  and  craved  for,  remained.     A  solemn  scene 


l80  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

was  that  which  closed  a  life's  mission,  at  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  on  the  last  day  of  the  year 
1878 — a  scene  indelibly  impressed  on  the  hearts 
of  relatives  and  friends,  such  as  will  be  thought  of 
with  sorrowful  emotions,  by  all  who  will  have  learnt, 
from  the  effusions  of  the  German  Jewess,  how  deep 
were   the    sentiments    that    pervaded  her  breast. 

NACHMAN   KROCHMAL. 

We  are  told  that  in  bygone  ages  business  and 
Talmudical  studies  were  associated.  But  the  sys- 
tem has  not  altogether  fallen  into  disuse.  Of  this 
we  have  assurance  in  late  accounts.  Examples 
are  given  of  merchants  who,  after  fulfilling  their 
daily  occupations,  repaired  to  the  spot  where  Rab- 
binical writings  were  expounded.  But  towards  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  and  in  the  first  quarter  of 
the  present,  it  was  more  frequent  for  fathers  to  place 
before  their  sons  the  ponderous  volumes,  embodying 
the  discussions  of  the  Sages,  beside  the  Journal  and 
Ledger.  Rather  than  neglect  the  former,  the  latter 
would  be  set  aside.  Under  these  influences  Nachman 
Krochmal  was  reared.  Parental  wealth  did  not  oc- 
casion any  deviation  from  the  usual  plan.  It  will 
be  seen    how    this,  affected    his  career. 

Nachman  Krochmal  was  born  at  Brody,  in  Galicia, 
Austria,    on  the   18th  of   February,   1780.       Nothing 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  l8l 

of  importance  is  recorded  of  his  youth,  save  that 
he  entered  the  mercantile  profession,  struggling,  at 
the  same  time,  to  attain  a  secular  education,  in  the 
pursuit  of  which  he  encountered  severe  obstacles. 
From  the  wonderful  knowledge  he  afterwards  dis- 
played, we  may  fairly  presume  that  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  time  was  spent  in.  deep  study  and  re- 
search. 

To  undertake  the  prodigious  task  which  Kroch- 
mal  performed — that  of  investigating  the  Bible,  with 
a  view  of  ascertaining  the  origin,  unity,  and  date 
of  each  book,  as  well  as  to  characterize  its  pecul- 
iarity of  style  and  language— required  a  combina- 
tion of  intellectual  powers,  possessed  by  only  a  few 
of  the  greatest  scholars.  A  subject  of  so  wide  a 
range,  presenting  many  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
exposition,'  needed  the'  ability  and  perseverance  of 
one  who  could  search  into  its  intricacies,  and  set 
all  forth  in  a  clear  and  satisfactory  light.  In  his 
endeavors  to  accomplish  "his  purpose,  Krochmal  was 
subjected  to  adverse  strictures,  aspersions,  and  viru- 
lent attacks.  Especially  did  he  meet  with  strenuous 
opposition  from  those  who  held  fast  to  accepted 
traditions,  in  his  theories  on  the  authorship  and 
ages  of  the  respective  Scriptural  writings.  Undaunted, 
however,  he  pursued  his  investigations,  and  the  re- 
sults that  followed  will  be  referred  to. 

On  account  of   feeble   health,  and    physical    infir- 


1 82  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

mities,  Krochmal  published  but  little  during  his 
life.  His  principal  works  have  since  appeared,  and, 
it  is  conceded,  they  evince  immense  learning.  His 
interest  in  philosophy  is  shown  in  a  production  en- 
titled, More  Nebuche  Ha-Zeman  (A  Guide  to  the 
Erring  of  the  Present  Age),  which  the  renowned 
Dr.  Leopold  Zunz  edited  and  published  at  Lemberg, 
in   1851. 

Krochmal  was  an  intimate  associate  of  that  prince 
of  Jewish  literators,  Rapoport,  and  he  enjoyed  the 
respect,  nay,  the  veneration  of  many  illustrious  per- 
sonages. He  died  at  Tarnopol,  in  Galicia,  Austria, 
on  the  31st  of  July,  1840.  Those  who  have  profited 
by  the  fruit  of  his  labors,  need  not  be  told  what  a 
loss  was  experienced  on  that  day. 

The  chief  writings  of  Nachman  Krochmal  are  on 
"  The  Sacred  Antiquities  and  Their  Import."  They 
partly  appeared  in  the  Hebrew  Annual,  called  K'erem 
Chemed,  whose  editor,  Samuel  Loeb  Goldenberg,  was 
distinguished  alike  for  his  scholarship  and  the  sound 
judgment  employed  in  conducting  his  excellent  per- 
iodical. The  subjects  herein  treated  by  Krochmal 
are  (we  quote  the  words  of  a  writer):  "  1.  On  the 
age  of  the  comforting  promises  in  the  second  part 
of  Isaiah,  chap.  40-66,  in  which  he  tries  to  demon- 
strate the  late  date  of  this  part  of  the  volume,  and 
to  show  that  Aben  Ezra  was  of  the  same  opinion, 
only    that    he    veiled    it    in    enigmatical    language. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 83 

2.  On  the  date  and  composition  of  Ezra  and  Chron- 
icles, with  an  investigation  of  the  ancient  statement 
on  this  subject,  contained  in  the  Talmud,  Baba 
Bathra,  14,  b,  which  is  very  important.  He  tries 
to  trace  and  analyze  the  different  parts  of  which 
these  books  are  composed,  and  to  show  that  they 
extend    to    the  destruction    of    the    Persian    Empire. 

3.  On  the  date  and  composition  of  Ezekiel,  the  Mi- 
nor Prophets,  Daniel  and  Esther,  with  an  examina- 
tion of  the  ancient  statement  on  this  subject,  con- 
tained in  the  same  passage  of  the  Talmud,  which 
is  still  more  important,  inasmuch  as  Krochmal  shows 
here  what  is  meant  by  The  Great  Synagogue,  and 
tries  to  demonstrate  that  some  portions  of  the 
Minor  Prophets,  belong  to  the  period  of  the  Greek 
Empire.  4.  On  the  origin  and  date  of  Ecclesiastes, 
in  which  he  insists  that  it  is  the  latest  composition 
in  the  canon." 

Speaking  of  his  personal  traits,  an  author  as- 
serts that  Krochmal's  acquaintances,  whether  youths 
or  men,  derived  much  from  his  intercourse.  To 
some  he  would  afford  a  taste  for  the  sublime  out- 
pourings of  German  or  Hebrew  poets;  to  others 
he  would  offer  abundant  light  on  geometry  or  ma- 
thematics. At  one  time  he  would  explain  pas- 
sages in  the  philosophical  writings  of  Maimonides ; 
and  again  on  the  comments  of  Aben  Ezra,  into 
which  he  had  dived  with  his  acute  mental  vision. 
Such   a  character  is  truly  inestimable. 


184  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

EDWARD  LASKER. 

Civilization  has  wrought  many  wonderful  changes 
in  the  moral,  social  and  political  condition  of  man. 
Thus,  governments,  once  absolutely  despotic,  are 
now  limited  monarchies  or  republics.  Men  have 
struck  for  equal  rights,  and  have  largely  obtained 
them.  The  followers  of  whatever  creed  are  de- 
clared qualified  to  take  part  in  state  and  national 
affairs. 

The  tidal-wave  did  not  stop  short,  when  near- 
ing  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  and  futile  will  prove  the 
combined  attempts  of  reactionists  to  force  it  back. 
The  anti-Semitic  league,  which  would  fain  ostra- 
cize the  emancipated  Israelite,  will  be  overwhelmed 
by  the  swelling  current.  A  Jew,  dreaded  in  the 
Reichstag,  because  of  his  trenchant  speech,  may 
be  denied  a  re-nomination,  but  the  leader  of  lib- 
eralism— our   Lasker — will   yet   assert   his    power. 

Edward  Lasker  was  born  at  Jarocin,  in  Posen, 
Prussian  Poland,  October  14th,  1829.  After  receiv- 
ing a  preliminary  education,  he  attended  the  sem- 
inary at  Breslau,  and  obtained  a  knowledge  of 
jurisprudence  and  mathematics.  For  three  years 
he  resided  in  England,  studying  the  constitution 
and  laws  of  that  country.  In  1856  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  an  office  under  the  Prussian  Govern- 
ment;   but   his  religion,   as   also   his  political  views 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 85 

which  he  set  forth  in  several  excellent  papers,  pre- 
vented  further   advancement. 

However,  his  election  to  the  House  of  Deputies, 
as  a  member  from  Berlin,  in  .1865,  met  with  ap- 
proval. From  his  entrance  therein,  Lasker  mani- 
fested an  active  interest  in  all  important  matters. 
He  was  several  times  re-elected  to  represent  vari- 
ous districts,  and  his  energies  continued  unabated. 
Conspicuous  and  foremost  in  everything,  his  popu- 
larity  steadily   increased. 

Herr  Lasker  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
National  Liberal  party,  but  he  is  not  wedded  to 
any,  save  to  that  which  upholds  justice,  and,  there- 
fore, on  more  than  one  occasion,  he  voted  with  the 
Progressive  party. 

For  a  considerable  length  of  time,  Lasker  warmly 
supported  Prince  Bismarck's  administration.  But  the 
introduction  of  a  bill,  aiming  to  limit  the  free- 
dom of  speech  in  Parliament,  found  in  him  a  de- 
cided antagonist.  The  sagacious  commoner  foresaw 
a  direct  hindrance  to  liberty  in  the  Prime  Min- 
ister's arbitrary  and  tyrannic  measure,  and  forth- 
with directed  a  fiery  attack  upon  it.  This  boldness 
brought  on  a  rupture,  of  which  the  astute  Prince 
took  advantage  to  unseat  his  uncompromising  op- 
ponent. Lasker's  defeat  at  the  election  in  1879,  is 
thus  spoken  of  by  a  writer.  "  One  of  the  strangest 
of   recent   occurrences    in    Germany   is   the   compul- 


1 86  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

sory  withdrawal  from  the  political  arena  of  Lasker, 
the  Liberal  Parliamentary  leader.  Lasker  has  been 
one  of  the  best  and  most  popular  orators  of  the 
Empire,  and  is  conceded  even  by  his  opponents 
to  be  in  character  pure  and  above  suspicion.  He 
is  ...  .  poor,  notwithstanding  opportunities  to  be- 
come rich,  and  content  to  remain  poor,  rather  than 
depart  from  his  convictions,  or  soil  his  hands.  He 
has  beaten  in  fair,  open  Parliamentary  fight  more 
than  one  bitter  enemy  of  his  party,  his  race,  and 
himself,  and  he  threw  the  gauntlet  many  a  time  at 
Bismarck  himself  and  had  no  difficulty  in  matching 
him.  .  .  .  For  years  Lasker  was  idolized  by  his  party, 
and  it  was  never  supposed  that  he  could  possibly 
be  shelved,  but  in  the  signal  Conservative  victory 
that  the  recent  elections  won  for  Bismarck,  Lasker 
was  wrecked.  .  .  .  The  German  Liberal  press  is 
filled  with  lamentations  for  his  loss,  which  it  hopes 
may  be  but  temporary." 

Herr  Lasker  was  chosen  an  attorney-at-law  in 
1870.  His  erudite  work  on  the  constitutional  his- 
tory of  Prussia,  (New  Edition,  Leipsic,  1873),  shows 
him  a  gentleman  of  brave  mettle,  an  acute  observer, 
and  a  far-sighted  statesman. 

EMMA   LAZARUS. 

The  history  of  American  Hebrews  is  of  com- 
paratively recent   date.      Nevertheless  it  presents  the 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 87 

record  of  women  who  .  have  honored  their  people, 
by  employing  their  native  language  in  a  manner 
that  has  elicited  favorable  comment.  Thus,  to  cite 
one  instance,  Miss  Penina  Moi'se  has  received  the 
deserved  acknowledgment  of  her  fellow-believers  for 
the  devotional  poems  and  stirring  hymns  she  has 
written  for  the  Synagogue  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  But 
it  is  of  a  poetess  who  has  left  an  impress  on  En- 
glish and  American  literature,  recognized  far  beyond 
the  city  of  her  birth,  that  more  than  some  passing 
remarks  are  suggested.  Eminent  scholars  have  pub- 
licly attested  the  intrinsic  worth   of  her  productions. 

Emma  Lazarus  was  born  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  July  22d,  1849.  After  being  instructed  in 
the  rudiments  of  knowledge,  she  applied  herself  to 
reading.  The  discrimination  she  exercised  in  the 
choice  of  such  books  as  would  tend  to  cultivate  her 
mental  powers,  became  apparent  on  the  appearance 
of  her  own  works.  Miss  Lazarus  displayed  a  par- 
ticular fondness  for  poetry,  and  her  skill  in  the 
rhythmic  art  was  disclosed  at  an  early  date. 

In  1 866  Miss  Lazarus  brought  forth  the  first  vol- 
ume of  her  poems,  written  between  the  ages  of 
fourteen  and  seventeen.  It  exhibits  precocity  of 
genius  in  the  rich  imagery  with  which  it  teems,  and 
a  remarkable  command  of  language.  The  soul  of 
the  authoress  is  in  her  work,  hence  the  labor  is 
doubly  appreciated.      Miss  Lazarus   issued  a  second 


1 88  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

volume  in  1871,  entitled  "  Admetus  and  Other 
Poems, "  which  met  with  an  enthusiastic  reception, 
especially  at  the  hands  of  English  critics.  The 
best  notices  appeared  in  the  Westminster  Review, 
the  Athenceum,  and  the  Illustrated  London  News, 
and  from  the  last-named  periodical  we  cull  the  fol- 
lowing :  "  Miss  Lazarus  must  be  hailed  by  impartial 
literary  criticism  as  a  poet  of  rare  original  power. 
She  has  unconsciously  caught  from  admiring  perusal 
more,  perhaps,  of  the  style  of  Tennyson's  Arthurian 
Idylls,  in  her  narrative  and  dramatic  pieces,  than 
would  seem  fitly  to  attend  the  perfectly  fresh  and 
independent  stream  of  her  thought.  But  her  con- 
ceptions of  each  theme,  and  the  whole  compass  of 
her- ideas  and  emotions,  differ  essentially  from  those 
of  preceding  or  contemporary  poets.  In  her  treat- 
ment of  the  story  of  Alcestis  and  Admetus,  one  of 
ihe  two  Greek  subjects  among  the  poems  in  this 
volume,  she  is  far  happier  than  Mr.  Browning  in 
his  half  adaptation  of  Euripides.  The  motive  of  Al- 
cestis in  dying  to  preserve  the  life  of  her  lord,  is 
here  not  a  mere  blind  womanly  fondness.  It  is 
rather  an  exalted  persuasion  that  he,  as  the  best 
of  men  and  kings,  the  saviour  and  wise  ruler  of  his 
country,  as  a  person  honored  of  the  gods,  as  a 
monarch  gratefully  and  trustfully  obeyed  by  the  peo- 
ple, is  an  object  most  worthy  of  her  noble  self- 
sacrifice.      Admetus,   for   his  part,  still  refuses   to  let 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 89 

her  die  for  him  ;  but  the  solemn  act  is  consum- 
mated by  the  intervention  of  Phoebus,  his  divine 
guest,  and  former  assistant  in  his  winning  of  Al- 
cestis  to  be  his  wife.  The  conflict  afterwards  be- 
tween Hercules  and' Death,  and  the  return  of  life 
to  Alcestis,  are  represented  with  more  force,  as 
well  as  more  grace, .  in  this  poem  than  in  that  of 
Mr.    Browning.      Let   the  reader  judge    of  this : 

'Then  from  the  dying  woman's  couch  again 

Her  voice  was  heard,  but    with  strange  sudden   tones. 

"  Lo,  I  awake — the  light  comes  back  to  me. 

What  miracle  is  this?"       And  thunders  shook 

The  air,  and  clouds  of  mighty  darkness  fell, 

And  the  earth  trembled,  and  weird  horrid  sounds 

Were  heard  of  rushing  wings  and  flying  feet, 

And  groans  ;    and  all  were  silent,  dumb  with  awe, 

Saving  the  king,  who  paused  not  in  his  prayer, 

"  Have  mercy,  gods  !  "  and  then  again,  "  O  gods, 

Have    mercy !  " 

Through  the    open  casement  poured 
Bright,  floods  of  sunny  light ;   the  air  was  soft, 
Clear,  delicate,  as  though  a  summer  storm 
Had  passed  away,  and  those  there  standing  saw, 
Afar    upon  the   plain,    Death   fleeing  thence ; 
And    at   the    doorway,  weary,    wellnigh   spent, 
Alcides,    flushed    with   victory.'  " 

The  same  volume  contains  other  beautiful  poems, 
such  as  "  Orpheus,"  "  Tannhauser,"  "The  Garden 
of  Adonis,"  and  "  Regret ;"  also  several  patriotic 
pieces  devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  Union  in  the  late 
Civil  War,  as  "  Heroes,"  and  "  The  Day  of  Dead 
Soldiers."  The  narrow  limits  of  this  sketch  will,  we 
regret  to  say,  prevent  even  detached  quotations  from 
any  of  these  thrilling  poetical  effusions. 


I90  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

A  prose  work  by  Miss  Lazarus,  entitled  "  Alide, 
—an  Episode  of  Goethe's  Life,"  was  published  in 
1874.  She  has  favored  different  journals  and  maga- 
zines with  miscellaneous  compositions.  Her  lines 
on  the  Jewish  Synagogue  at  Newport,  are  full  of  pa- 
thos and  religious  sentiment.  Of  Miss  Lazarus'  con- 
tributions to  the  Jewish  Messenger,  there  is  one 
printed  in  an  issue  of  October,  1877,  which,  we  think, 
will  interest  Israelites,  and  it  is  therefore  reproduced. 
The  poem  was  written  on  the  death  of  the  Rev. 
Jacques  J.  Lyons,  minister  of  the  congregation  Sheanth 
Israel,  of  New  York  : 

THE  NEW  YEAR. 

The  golden  harvest-tide  is  here,  the  corn 
Bows  its  proud  tops  beneath  the  reaper's  hand. 
Ripe  orchards'  plenteous  yields  enrich  the  land ; 
Bring  the  first  fruits  and  offer  them  this  morn, 
With  the  stored  sweetness  of  all  summer  hours, 
The  amber  honey  sucked  from  myriad  flowers, 
And  sacrifice  your  best,  first  fruits  to-day, 
With  fainting  hearts  and  hands  forespent  with  toil. 
Offer  the  mellow  harvest's  splendid  spoil, 
To  Him  who  gives  and  Him  who  takes  away. 

Bring  timbrels,  bring  the  harp  of  sweet  accord, 
And  in   a  pleasant  psalm  your  voice  attune, 
And   blow  the  cornet  greeting  the  new  moon. 
Sing,  holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord, 
Who  killeth   and  who  quickeneth   again, 
Who  woundeth,  and  who  healeth  mortal  pain, 
Whose  hand  afflicts   us,  and  who  sends  us  peace. 
Hail  thou  slim  arc   of  promise  in  the  West, 
Thou  pledge  of  certain  plenty,  peace  and  rest. 
With  the  spent  year,  may  the  year's  sorrows  cease. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  19 1 

For  there  is  mourning  now  in  Israel, 

The   crown,   the  garland  of  the  branching  tree 

Is  plucked  and  withered.     Ripe  of  years  was  he, 

The  priest,  the  good  old  man  who  wrought  so  well 

Upon  his  chosen  glebe.     For  he  was  one 

Who  at  his  seed-plot  toiled  through  rain  and  sun. 

Morn   found  him  not  as  one  who  slumbereth, 

Noon   saw  him   faithful,  and  the  restful  night 

Stole  o'er  him   at  his  labors  to  requite 

The  just  man's  service  with  the  just  man's  death. 

What  shall  be  said  when  such  as  he  do  pass  ? 
Go  to  the  hill-side  neath  the   cypress-trees, 
Fall  midst  that  peopled  silence  on  your  knees, 
And  weep  that  man  must  wither  as  the  grass. 
But  mourn  him  not  whose  blameless  life  complete 
Rounded  its  perfect  orb,  whose  sleep  is  sweet, 
Whom  we  must  follow,  but  may  not  recall. 
Salute  with  solemn  trumpets  the  New  Year, 
And  offer  honeyed  fruits  as  were  he  here, 
Though  ye  be  sick  with  wormwood  and  with  gall. 

Miss  Lazarus  has  double  claims  to  the  recogni- 
tion of  her  co-religionists,  because  the  brilliant  talents 
for  which  she  is  distinguished  are  now  devoted  to 
illustrate,  in  the  English  tongue,  the  outpourings  of 
those  immortal  bards  of  Spain  who  beautified  the 
Sephardic  ritual.  There  will  shortly  appear  in  book- 
form,  a  series  of  essays  on  the  Jewish  poets  of  the 
Iberian  peninsula  in  the  Middle  Ages.  This  will 
comprise  copious  extracts,  translated  from  the  works 
of  grand  old  masters,  affording  no  doubt  a  clear 
insight  into  the  inimitable  productions  of  Gabirol, 
Halevy,  and  Aben  Ezra. 

We   have  attempted  to  give  simply  a    bird's-eye 


192  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

view  of  the  life  and  writings  of  Emma  Lazarus.  A 
broad  vista,  revealing  the  character  and  abilities 
of  our  authoress,  will  be  open  to  those  who  unclasp 
the  volumes  with  which  she  has  enriched  literature. 


MORITZ   LAZARUS. 

In  the  knowledge  of  the  various  branches  of 
speculative  science,  our  German  co-religionists  have 
risen  to  the  highest  standard.  A  glance  at  any  of 
the  modern  researches  into  subjects  most  abstruse 
and  perplexing,  '  will  disclose  the  important  part 
played  by  Israelites.  To  withhold  from  them  praise, 
would  be  to  wilfully  tear  out  some  of  the  bright- 
est pages  in  the  history  of  this  wonderful  age. 
Let  the  career  of  a  mighty  leader  in  metaphysics 
and  transcendental    philosophy  confirm  our  position. 

Prof.  Dr.  Moritz  Lazarus  was  born  at  Filehne, 
in  Posen,  Prussian  Poland,  on  the  15th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1824.  His  father,  Aaron  Levin  Lazarus,  a  dis- 
tinguished Talmudist,  and  pupil  of  the  celebrated 
Rabbi  Akiba  Eger,  departed  this  life  only  a  few 
years  since,  at  an  advanced  age.  His  brother,  L. 
Lazarus,  Ph.  D.,  also  an  eminent  Rabbi  and  scholar, 
and  Director  of  the  Jewish  Theological  Seminary  at 
Breslau,  died  in  1879. 

Young  Lazarus  attended  the  congregational  school 
in  his   native    city,  and    received   private  instruction 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  1 93 

from  his  uncle,  Abraham  Waldenberg,  (father  of 
Prof.  Waldenberg,  of  Berlin).  With  his  father,  he 
chiefly  studied  Rabbinical  writings.  When  sixteen, 
he  entered  a  mercantile  house  where  he  remained 
three  years,  and  then  returned  to  science,  his  favor- 
ite pursuit.  From  the  gymnasium  at  Brunswick  he 
passed  to  the  University  of  Berlin,  ending  his  col- 
legiate   course    when   twenty-two   years  old. 

No  one  could  doubt  but  that  the  mind  of  Dr. 
Lazarus  commanded  a  very  wide  range.  But- any 
possible  misgiving  was  dispelled  by  works  on  ab- 
stract topics,  in  which  new  ideas  are  evolved,  and 
philosophical  truths  presented  in  a  clear  light.  A 
passing  allusion  will  be  made  to  some  of  them. 
First,  however,  we  shall  speak  of  Lazarus  as  a 
Professor. 

In  i860  a  flattering  admission  of  the  Doctor's 
vast  acquirements  was  made  by  his  election  to  a  pro- 
fessorship at  the  University  of  Berne,  Switzerland. 
The  satisfaction  given  by  an  untiring  devotion  to 
duty,  led  to  his  appointment  as  Dean  of  the  Faculty 
of  Philosophy,  in  1863.  One  year  later  he  was 
elevated   to   the    rank   of  Rector  of  the   University. 

Thus,  in  the  lapse  of  four  years  he  attained 
stations  that  could  only  be  filled  by  the  very  ablest 
and  most  profound  scholars.  Nor  did  the  honors 
he  gathered  terminate  there.  In  1867  Prof.  Laza- 
rus became    Instructor    in    Philosophy,  at  the  Royal 


194  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

Military  Academy  of  Berlin.  The  climax  was  reached 
in  1873,  by  his  being  chosen  Professor  of  Philosophy 
at  the  University  of  Berlin.  The  reader  may  judge 
of  the  qualifications  of  a  man  who,  surrounded,  as 
it  were,  by  a  constellation  of  shining  lights,  finds 
himself  preferred  to  all  others;  for  to  occupy  such 
a  chair  in  such  a  college  is,  indeed,  a  recognition 
of  preeminent  talents. 

Prof.  Lazarus  has  displayed  warm  interest  in  Jew- 
ish matters.  Twice  he  presided  over  important  con- 
ferences; the  Israelitish  Synods  held  at  Leipzig  and 
Augsburg,  in  1869  and  1871  respectively.  He  is  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  High  School  for  the  Science 
of  Judaism,  and  since  1872  he  has  been  President  of 
its  Directory.  As  head  of  the  Society  for  assisting 
Jewish  Students,  he  has  shown  an  ardent  desire  for 
the  spread  of  education  among  his  fellow-believers; 
and  as  an  Honorary  Member  of  the  Directory  of  the 
Union  of  German  Hebrew  Congregations,  his  in- 
fluence has  been  sensibly  felt.  Other  organizations 
reckon  him  among  their  directors. 

Now  to  mention  some  of  Lazarus'  productions. 
His  work  "  On  the  Moral  Justification  of  Prussia 
and  Germany,"  appeared  in  1850.  It  was  followed, 
in  185 1,  by  an  essay,  "  On  the  Idea  and  the  Feasi- 
bility of  a  Science  of  National  Psychology,"  in  which 
originated  the  term,  and  the  science  of,  National 
Psychology.     Since    1859,  the  Doct'or  has  issued,  in 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 95 

conjunction  with  his  brother-in-law,  Prof.  Dr.  H.  Stein- 
thal,  the  Journal  of  National  Psychology  and  Phil- 
ology. "The  Life  of  the  Soul,"  thus  far  in  two  vol- 
umes, contains  various  articles  under  different  titles, 
and  it  has  passed  through  two  editions — 1877-8. 
"Ideal  Problems"  was  published  in  1878.  "The 
Origin  of  Morals,"  "  The  Theory  of  Sense-Illusions," 
and  "  Ideas  in  History,"  are  writings  replete  with 
suggestive  thoughts.  Of  the  first  and  the  last,  three 
editions  have  appeared. 

A  scientific  critic  may  review  the  emanations  of 
a  pen  so  fertile ;  he  may  offer  salient  points,  des- 
criptive of  their  nature.  We  can  merely  name  them. 
Thus  a,  conception,  perchance,  may  be  formed  of  the 
mental  labor  those  works  must  have  entailed  upon 
their  author,  who,  with  energy  and  perseverance,  has 
set  them  all  in  array  before  the  world. 

ISAAC    LEESER. 

There  is  probably  no  name  so  familiar  to  Amer- 
ican Israelites,  as  that  of  Isaac  Leeser ;  and  none 
will  ever  say  that  the  fame  acquired  was  not  justly 
earned.  Indeed,  few  persons  can  bear  comparison 
with  him  who  is  revered  for  his  self-sacrificing  de- 
votion and  unremitting  labor.  The  present  advanced 
condition  of  Hebrews  in  this  land  of  freedom  must 
be  chiefly  attributed    to  his    ceaseless    exertions    for 


I96  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

their  moral  and  spiritual  welfare.  In  fact,  the  his- 
tory of  American  Judaism  and  that  of  Isaac  Leeser 
are  one  and  the  same. 

The  Rev.  Isaac  Leeser  was  born  at  Neuenkirchen, 
in  the  province  of  Westphalia,  Prussia,  on  the  12th 
of  December,  1806.  His  parents'  pious  disposition, 
early  led  the  child  to  a  proper  understanding  of  his 
religion.  He  received  a  preliminary  education,  and 
remained  for  some  time  at  the  college  at  Miinster, 
acquitting  himself  with  honor.  At  the  request  of 
his  uncle,  Zalma  Rehine,  who  resided  in  Richmond, 
Virginia,  Isaac,  in  his  eighteenth  year,  left  home  for 
America,  where  he  arrived  in  May,  1824.  Taking 
up  his  abode  with  his  uncle,  he  attended  school, 
which,  however,  he  soon  left  to  engage  in  business. 
Though  closely  occupied  during  the  day,  he  still 
found  time  to  devote  to  mental  culture,  and  his  even- 
ings were  constantly  spent  in  literary  pursuits.  He 
early  evinced  interest  in  religious  affairs,  as  shown 
by  the  assistance  given  to  the  Rev.  Isaac  B.  Seixas, 
in  gratuitously  teaching  the  younger  portion  of  the 
Jewish  community  of  Richmond. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  1828  that  Mr.  Leeser 
attracted  public  notice.  In  that  year,  the  London 
Quarterly  Review  came  out  with  articles  tending  to 
defame  the  character  of  Jews  and  Judaism.  On 
reading  these  slanderous  productions,  Mr.  Leeser, 
decided  at  once  to  stand  up  for  his  fellow-believers, 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  1 97 

and  he  set  forth  a  vindication  in  the  columns  of 
a  Richmond  newspaper.  His  'remarks,  couched 
in  excellent  language,  and  displaying  much  earn- 
estness, produced  a  marked  impression.  When 
Mr.  Leeser  penned  the  reply  he  had  resided  but 
four  years  in  this  country,  and  his  surprising  ac- 
quaintance with  English,  in  so  brief  a  period,  proves 
the  aptitude  he  possessed  for  linguistic  knowledge. 
The  circumstance  related  clearly  indicates  the  state 
of  religious  learning  in  America,  when  the  defence 
of  Judaism  had  to  be  assumed  by  an  obscure 
young  man. 

The  Congregation  Mickve  Israel,  of  Philadelphia, 
had  long  needed  -the  services  of  a  pastor,  and  Mr. 
Leeser  was  at  once  set  forward  for  the  position. 
Though  hesitating  to  enter  upon  such  a  task,  he 
yielded  to  the  wishes  of  his  uncle  and  many  friends, 
and  was  elected  to  the  office  in  1829.  As  spiritual 
leader  of  one  of  the  most  important  congregations 
in  the  United  States,  a  wide  field  was  opened  to 
his  future  efforts.  Mr.  Leeser  added  to  official  du- 
ties the  delivery  of  English  addresses  and  discourses 
to  his  flock,  the  first  being  pronounced  on  June  2d, 
1830.  Prior  to  that  time  no  attempt  to  that  effect, 
worthy  of  note,  had  been  made  in  America,  and 
the  new  system,  meeting  with  favor,  spread  much 
farther  than  the  city  in  which  it  was  introduced. 

Notwithstanding    this    self-imposed     addition    to 


I98  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Mr.  Leeser's  obligations,  his  literary  labors  pro- 
ceeded unchecked.  In  1830  appeared  his  translation 
of  Johlson's  "  Instruction  in  the  Mosaic  Religion," 
and,  in  1833,  a  work  entitled,  "  The  Jews  and  the 
Mosaic  Law,"  containing  also  the  articles  first 
written  in  defence  of  the  Jews.  In  1834  Mr. 
Leeser  suffered  from  a  severe  attack  of  small-pox, 
which  prostrated  him  for  a  while,  but  did  not 
eventually  weaken  his  inborn  energies.  Early  in 
1837  he  issued  some  of  his  sermons,  in  two  vol- 
umes, arid  in  1838  his  Spelling-Book.  A  series 
of  articles,  written  in  1839  and  1840  for  the  Phil- 
adelphia Gazette \  against  the  strictures  of  the 
London  Quarterly  Review  concerning  Hebrews,  was 
published  in  1 841,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Claims 
of  the  Jews  to  an  Equality  of  Rights."  In  1839 
Mr.  Leeser  brought  out  a  Catechism,  and  other  vol- 
umes of  his  sermons  followed  from  time  to  time. 
He  also  edited  several  of  the  works  of  Miss  Aguilar ; 
the  Dias  Letters ;  "  The  Inquisition  and  Judaism ;" 
and  "  Meditations  and  Prayers, "  by  Mrs.  Hesther 
Rothschild,  etc. 

In  1843  Mr.  Leeser  began  the  monthly  maga- 
zine, known  as  The  Occident  and  American  Jezvisli 
Advocate,  in  the  interest  of  Judaism,  which  he 
carried  on  until  his  death,  having  completed  twenty- 
five  volumes.  Its  publication  was  continued  for 
twelve   months,  by  Mayer   Sulzberger,    Esq.,  one   of 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  1 99 

his  executors.  During  one  year  of  Mr.  Leeser's 
editorship,  The  Occident  came  forth  weekly,  in  the 
shape  of  an  eight-page  newspaper.  Throughout  its 
whole  existence  the  periodical  was  ably  conducted, 
always  abounding  with  instructive  and  valuable  read- 
ing matter.  A  thoroughly  conservative  organ,  The 
Occident  did  not  once  deviate  from  its  adopted 
course. 

Mr.  Leeser  issued  his  edition  of  the  Pentateuch 
in  Hebrew  and  English  in  1845,  and  afterwards 
the  Daily  Prayers,  agreeably  to  bojth  the  German 
and  the  Portuguese  customs.  There  was  also 
published  his  translation  of  the  complete  set  of 
Prayers  for  the  Jewish  Holidays,  in  accordance 
with    the   Portuguese  ritual. 

In  1850  Mr.  Leeser  retired  from  the  ministry 
in  the  Mickv'e  Israel  Synagogue,  and  on  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Congregation  Beth-El-Emeth,  of  Philadel- 
phia, by  some  of  his  friends,  in  1857,  he  was 
chosen  its  pastor,  and  he  served  in  that  capacity 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Mr.  Leeser 
gained  much  of  his  reputation  by  travelling.  He 
visited  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  every- 
where exhibiting  his  eloquence,  obviously  to  the 
spiritual   advantage    of  his   hearers. 

Space  will  not  permit  even  a  cursory  review 
of  the  multifarious  labors  ^of  this  famous  divine. 
Many   organizations,   having     for    their    object    the 


200  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

improvement  or  temporal  benefit  of  Israelites,  were 
projected  by  him.  The  Hebrew  Education  Soci- 
ety, the  Board  of  Hebrew  Ministers,  the  Jewish 
Hospital,  the  Maimonides  College,  all  of.  Philadel- 
phia, owe  their  foundation  to  the  active  efforts  of 
Mr.  Leeser.  The  Board  of  Delegates  of  American 
Israelites,  the  American  Jewish  Publication  Society, 
and  other  institutions,  are  also  greatly  indebted  to 
him  for  their  creation.  He  advocated  a  union  of 
the  divers  charities  of  Philadelphia,  which  was  con- 
summated some  years  after  his  decease  in  the 
present  Society    of  the   United  Hebrew  Charities. 

When  the  Maimonides  College  opened  at  Phil- 
adelphia in  October,  1867,  Mr.  Leeser,  in  acknowl- 
edgment of  his  endeavors  for  the  cause,  was  elected 
Provost  or  President  of  the  Faculty,  his  branch 
being  Homiletics,  Belles-Lettres  and  Comparative 
Theology. 

Among  Mr.  Leeser's  other  published  works, 
were  renditions  into  English  of  Rabbi  Joseph 
Schwarz's  Geography  of  Palestine,  and  Moses  Men- 
delssohn's "  Jerusalem."  But  the  production  by 
which  he  is  best  known,  and  which  would  have 
sufficed  to  give  him  immortality,  is  a  translation  in- 
to the  vernacular  of  the  Hebrew  Bible.  Besides 
all  these  services  to  Judaism,  Mr..  Leeser  was  ever 
watchful  of  attacks  from  hostile  camps,  and  many 
times  did  he  enter  the  lists  to  combat  for  his  co- 
religionists. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  201 

When  considering  the  immense  achievements,  in 
a  literary  sphere,  of  a  single  individual,  we  are  as- 
tounded at  the  power  of  human  perseverance.  Mr. 
Leeser's  memory  was  marvellous.  He  could  re- 
cognize, and  even  recollect  the  names  of,  per- 
sons whom  he  had  not  seen  for  many  years.  With 
a  quick  comprehension,  he  could  perceive  almost  in- 
stantly the  point  of  difficult  questions.  Though 
not  educated  as  a  Rabbi,  he  had  some  acquaintance 
with  the  numerous  writings  of  the  Sages,  and  his 
peculiarly  retentive  faculties  enabled  him  to  study 
much  in  a  short  time.  As  a  speaker  he  command- 
ed general  admiration,  and  most  of  his  addresses 
were  delivered  extempore. 

The  indefatigable  industry  of  Mr.  Leeser  often 
occasioned  spells  of  sickness,  and  towards  the  end 
of  the  year  1867  he  was  seized  with  an  illness  which 
proved  fatal  on  the  1st  of  February,  1868.  Thus, 
the  Hebrews  of  America  were  deprived  of  a  bold 
champion,  a  staunch  friend,  and  a  great  benefac- 
tor, whom  coming  generations  will  hold  in  grate- 
ful remembrance. 


MAXIMILIAN  LETTERIS. 

The  beauties  of  Hebrew  literature  have  been 
ably  set  forth  by  a  countless  number  of  prose  wri- 
ters, who  labored  to  explain  and  critically  delineate 


202  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

the  contents  of  Biblical  and  Post-Biblical  composi- 
tions. To  them  we  are  beholden  for  the  intellectual 
development  of  Jewish  communities.  But  we  must 
not  forget  our  indebtedness  to  those  who,  through 
the  ardor  of  real  poetry,  have  expressed  their 
thoughts  in  "  words  that  burn."  Notably,  the  bards 
of  the  Middle  Ages  occupy  lofty  seats  in  the  world 
of  letters.  Nor  is  the  present  century  destitute  of 
individuals  who  are  in  truth  more  than  rhymsters. 
Poland  alone  has  given  us  splendid  specimens  of  ge- 
nius, and  few  have  equalled,  in  depth  of  poetic  sen- 
timent, and  grandeur  of  style,  him  of  whom  we 
shall  speak. 

Dr.  Maximilian  Letteris  was  born  at  Ziolkiev, 
Poland,  on  the  13th  of  September,  1800.  His  fa- 
ther, Rabbi  Gershon  Letteris,  enjoyed  much  esteem 
as  a  Talmudical  scholar,  and  as  the  possessor  of  ex- 
ceptional abilities.  Having  lost  twelve  of  his  chil- 
dren, Maximilian  only  being  left,  he  determined  to 
do  his  utmost  that  the  future  of  his  son  might  be 
worthy  of  a  great  man.  Bent  on  that  object,  he 
engaged  in  the  task  with  unabated  vigor,  and  the 
results  must  have  surely  been  encouraging  to  the 
loving   father. 

When  but  a  mere  boy,  Maximilian  showed  a  re- 
markable acquaintance  with  the  Bible  and  the  Tal- 
mud. Desiring  to  obtain  a  more  extensive  knowl- 
edge than  simply  that    of   Hebrew,  he    devoted    his 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  203 

attention  to  German,  and  other  modern  languages, 
and  their  literature.  But  his  parent  did  not  favor 
this  course,  as  he  feared  that  his  son  might  disregard 
the  law ;  therefore  he  forbade  secular  studies  altogether. 
The  youth,  who  had  already  acquired  a  different 
taste,  found  it  impossible  to  obey  the  injunction ; 
hence  he  continued  his    favorite    studies    by  stealth. 

Young  Letteris  was,  at  an  early  age,  placed  un- 
der the  charge  of  the  celebrated  Rabbi  Nachman 
Krochmal,  who  enriched  the  mind  of  his  pupil  with 
the  fruits  of  his  own  vast  learning.  Receiving  in- 
struction from  so  great  a  preceptor,  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  Letteris  afterwards  rose  to  a  high  sta- 
tion in  literary  circles.  While  yet  in  his  youth,  he 
gave  unmistakable  indications  of  the  divine  afflatus 
stirring  within  his  breast.  He  wrote  poems  that 
charmed  the  reader,  and  served  as  a  prognostic  of 
a  brilliant  career. 

In  1 8 19  Letteris  at  last  secured  his  father's  con- 
sent to  go  where  he  deemed  best  in  search  of  a 
wider  range  of  knowledge.  Accordingly,  he  entered 
the  University,  of  Vienna,  and  the  year  1820  found 
him  an  assiduous  student  at   that  college. 

In  1822  Dr.  Letteris  published  his  Dibre  Slav 
( Words  of  Song),  a  collection  of  poems,  some  from 
his  pen,  and  others  as  translations.  The  reputation 
gained  acted  as  a  stimulus  to  more  strenuous  efforts. 
Letteris  belonged  to  the  school  of   Lyric  Poetry,  in 


204  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

which  Hebrews  have  excelled.  In  fact,  he  may  be 
deemed  the  most  prolific  of  that  class  among  his 
native   fellow-believers. 

In  addition  to  sundry  poems  and  prose-essays 
in  German,  as  well  as  in  Hebrew,  there  appeared 
G'ezang  Yishai,  a  paraphrase  of  Racine's  "  Athalie," 
which  met  with  an  enthusiastic  reception ;  Shelom 
Ester,  a  version  of  Racine's  "  Esther,"  admired  still 
more ;  and  Ben  Abuyah,  Letteris'  masterpiece,  which 
alone  would  suffice  to  encircle  his  brow  with  the 
laurels  of  immortality.  For  the  soul  of  a  great  poet 
is  reflected  therein.  Every  line  is  music.  To  the 
lover  of  Hebrew  verse,  this  effusion  is  an  echo  of 
Andalusian  songs.  So  invaluable  was  this  produc- 
tion considered,  that  the  French  Academy  seized 
the  first  opportunity  to  procure  it.  Almost  as  fa- 
mous as  the  work  just  mentioned,  is  the  elegy  en- 
titled Yonah  Homiyah  (The  Moaning  Dove),  so  full 
of  pathos  and  intensity  of  religious4  feeling.  Con- 
cerning it,  the  Rev.  Dr.  H.  Vidaver  thus  remarks : 
"  I  shall  never  forget  until  my  last  hour,  what  pro- 
found emotions  of  love  for  Judaism  and  Israel,  did 
the  song  Yonah  Homiyah  awaken  in  my  heart,  when 
yet  in  my  tender  boyhood !  I  never  saw  this  patri- 
otic Jewish  poem  in  print ;  it  used  to  be  tradition- 
ally delivered  from  one  to  another,  and  accompanied 
with  a  melody.  We  boys  in  Poland  used  to  sing 
it,  and  our  tears  were  all  the  time  gushing  from 
our  eyes !" 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  205 

Dr.  Letteris  was  appointed,  in  183 1,  corrector 
and  proof-reader  in  one  of  the  largest  Hebrew  print- 
ing-houses in  Vienna,  and  he  worked  in  the  same 
capacity  during  the  greater  portion  of  his  life.  For 
the  writings  which  elicited  so  much  encomium  were 
by  no  means  of  pecuniary  advantage.  Their  author 
lived  in  poverty,  and  it  was  with  considerable  diffi- 
culty that  he  obtained  the  wherewith  to  support 
existence.  He  died  at  Vienna,  Austria,  on  the  4th 
of  June,   1 87 1. 

The  literary  success  of  Maximilian  Letteris  may 
be  ascribed  to  the  fact  that  he  steadily  followed  the 
object  in  view,  notwithstanding  serious  impediments. 
A  bright  light  in  our  horizon  might  never  have 
shone,  if  the  Polish  scholar  had  allowed  the  preju- 
dices of  the  time,  and  the  frowns  of  Fortune  to 
prevail.  His  resolve  to  pursue  the  adopted  course, 
despite  all  obstacles,  earned  him  the  name  which  is 
familiar  to  all  but  pretenders  in  the  knowledge  of 
modern  Hebrew  literature. 


URIAH  PHILLIPS  LEVY. 

The  subject  of  the  present  sketch  offers  an  illus- 
tration of  an  American  Jew  who  did  not  allow  offi- 
cial promotion  to  lower,  in  his  estimation,  the  faith 
in  which  he  had  been  born  and  reared,  nor  to  erase 
from  his  heart    his    affection    for    his    co-religionists. 


206  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

He  owed  the  respect  paid  him  by  his  countrymen 
to  personal  efforts,  coupled  with  firmness  of  charac- 
ter, and  the  esteem  of  his  brethren  to  a  determined 
attachment  to  the  main  principles  of  Judaism.  It 
will  be  our  province  to  refer  to  the  manifold  ser- 
vices he  rendered  his  native-land,  when  endeavoring 
to  reform  the  United  States  Navy,  and  to  the  dig- 
nity with  which  he  upheld  his  office— never  swerv- 
ing from  the  line  of  duty. 

Uriah  Phillips  Levy  was  born  at  Philadelphia, 
April  22d,  1792.  After  pursuing  a  course  of  in- 
struction, he  entered  the  Navy,  October  23d,  181 2. 
The  United  States,  at  that  period,  was  engaged  in 
a  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  Levy  served  as  an 
officer  on  the  brig  Argus,  which  ran  the  blockade 
to  France,  with  Mr.  Crawford,  the  American  Minis- 
ter to  that  country,  on  board.  The  vessel,  after  ac- 
complishing her  mission,  ravaged  the  English  Chan- 
nel, destroying  twenty-one  British  merchantmen,  one 
of  which  alone  was  worth  $625,000.  But  the  Argus 
being  finally  captured,  Levy  and  his  shipmates  were 
held  as  British  prisoners  for  two  years. 

In  recognition  of  his  gallant  conduct,  Mr.  Levy 
was  created  a  Lieutenant  on  March  5th,  181 7,  and 
subsequently  a  Commodore  on  February  9th,  1837. 
He  received  the  appointment  of  Post-Captain  on 
March  29th,   1844. 

Captain   Levy    made    many    cruises    into    foreign 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  207 

waters,  the  last  of  which,  in  1858,  as  Flag  Officer 
of  the  Mediterranean  Squadron.  His  meritorious 
demeanor  and  bravery,  had  raised  him  to  the  high- 
est station  in  the  Navy.* 

But  more  than  for  the  undaunted  courage  which 
characterized  the  discharge  of  his  obligations ;  more 
even  than  for  the  patriotism  which  raised  him  in 
the  general  esteem,  Uriah  Phillips  Levy  deserves  to 
be  ever  remembered  as  a  humanitarian.  The  great 
system  he  inaugurated  has  been  adopted  by  many 
civilized  nations ;  we  mean,  the  abolition  of  corporal 
punishment  to  seamen,  which  put  an  end  to  cruel- 
ties that  subordinate  officers  were  compelled  to  en- 
dure. Ruthless  practices  had  been  indulged  in  to  a 
fearful  extent.  Captain  Levy  saw  that  their  contin- 
uance compromised  the  honor  of  his  country,  cast 
a  stigma  on  Freedom,  and  outraged  nature.  Ac- 
cordingly, he  devised  a  scheme  which  recognized  no 
superiority,  but  that  which  belongs  to  a  well-earned 
elevation  in  the  ranks.  This  plan  would  not  suffer 
the  least  abuse  of  power  by  naval  commanders.  So 
noble  a  conception  met,  and  will  eternally  meet, 
with  the  heartiest  approval  of  the  right-thinking. 

One  of  the  distinguishing  traits  of  Commodore 
Levy's  character  was  his  admiration  of  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson, whose  family-seat  at  Monticello,  Virginia,  he 

*  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  office  of   Admiral  was  not 
created  until  the  Civil  War. 


208  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

purchased.  This  property  was  confiscated  by  the 
Confederate  Government,  during  the  Rebellion. 

Mr.  Levy  died  at  New  York  City,  March  2 2d, 
1862,  in  the  full  fruition  of  national  honors.  The 
monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  this  worthy 
Hebrew,  may  be  seen  in  that  portion  of  the  Cypress 
Hills  Cemetery  in  use  by  the  Congregation  Shear- 
ith  Israel,  of  New  York. 

As  a  lover  of  his  country  and  a  generous  bene- 
factor, Uriah  Phillips  Levy  has  been  marked  out  a 
place  in  the  annals  of  free  America. 


LOUIS    LOEWE. 

"  There  is  a  power  behind  the  throne,"  is  a  com- 
mon saying.  Applied  more  widely  than  in  its  liter- 
al sense,  it  means  that  unseen  influences  are  at 
work  for  good  or  for  evil.  Sir  Moses  Montefiore, 
whose  name  cannot  be  too  often  mentioned,  is  the 
recipient  of  letters,  applications,  memorials,  and  books 
of  all  sorts,  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  He  must 
of  necessity  advise  with,  and  employ  persons  on 
whose  abilities  he  may  rely,  to  relieve  him  of  the 
burden  of  correspondence.  To  the  man  who  most- 
ly stands  by  his  side,  and  whose  suggestions  are 
practically  felt  by  many  of  the  philanthropist's  ben- 
eficiaries, these  lines  are  devoted. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  20  9 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Louis  Loewe  was  born  at  Ziilz, 
in  the  province  of  Silesia,  Prussia,  in  1809.  At  the 
Academy  of  Rosenburg,  in  Silesia,  he  obtained  a 
more  than  ordinary  education.  But  to  perfect  his 
knowledge,  he  attended  the  colleges  of  Lissa,  Nic- 
olsburg,  and  Presburg,  where  he  steadfastly  pursued 
studies  in  theology,  the  Oriental  languages,  and  sci- 
entific branches.  When  Dr.  Loewe  finally  came 
forth  from  the  University  of  Berlin,  he  was  possess- 
ed of  a  remarkable  fund  of  knowledge,  that  enabled 
him  to  take  his  stand  by  the  side  of  the  most 
cultured. 

Repairing  to  England,  Dr.  Loewe  became  known 
to  the  Duke  of  Sussex  and  Admiral  Sir  Sydney 
Smith,  under  whose  auspices  he  travelled,  in  the 
years  1836,  1837,  and  1838,  in  Egypt,  Nubia,  part 
of  Ethiopia,  Syria,  Palestine,  Turkey,  Asia  Minor, 
and  Greece,  for  the  cultivation  of  the  study  of  the 
Arabic,  Coptic,  Nubian,  Turkish  and  Circassian  lan- 
guages and  their  literature.  In  1839  the  Duke  of 
Sussex  appointed  the  Doctor  his  lecturer  on  the 
Oriental  tongues.  He  had,  prior  to  this,  been  chosen 
Sir  Moses  Montefiore's  private  secretary.  In  that 
capacity,  he  made  several  journeys,  with  the  vene- 
rated Baronet,  to  the  East,  on  behalf  of  his  op- 
pressed co-religionists. 

Dr.  Loewe  assumed  the  position  of  Head-Master 
of  the  Jews'  College,  Finsbury  Square,  in   1856;  and 


2IO  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Examiner  for  Oriental  Languages  to  the  Royal  Col- 
lege of  Preceptors,  in  1858.  When,  in  1868,  Sir 
Moses  Montefiore  founded  a  Theological  College,  at 
Ramsgate,  he  selected  his  secretary  as  Principal  and 
Director, — a  fitting  choice,  for  the  Doctor's  capaci- 
ties are  unquestionably  great.  The  ease  with  which 
he  reads  the  epistles,  in  a  number  of  languages, 
sent  to  the  Baronet,  would  serve  as  a  proof.  But, 
independent  of  that,  he  bears  the  reputation  of  an 
Orientalist.  It  is,  moreover,  averred  that  his  light- 
ning-like comprehension  of  the  most  abstruse  topics 
astonishes  even  those  who  have  been  brought  into 
close  connection  with  him. 

We  will  refer  to  some  writings  that  have  ema- 
nated from  his  prolific  pen.  A  translation  of  J.  B. 
Levinsohn's  Efes  Dammim,  being  a  series  of  conver- 
sations between  a  Patriarch  of  the  Greek  Church 
and  a  Chief  Rabbi  of  the  Jews,  was  published  in 
1.841,  and    followed,  in    1849,    by  "Observations  on 

A 

a  Unique  Gold  Coin,"  issued  by  Al-Aamir  Beakhcam 
Allah,  Abu  Ali  Manzour  Ben  Mustali,  tenth  Caliph 
of  the  Fatimite  dynasty.  There  also  appeared  "  A 
Dictionary  of  the  Circassian  language,"  in  1854; 
"Origin  of  the  Egyptian  language";  "Letters  from 
the  East";  and  a  rendition  into  English,  in  1872, 
of  Rabbi  David  Nieto's  Matteh  Dan,  which  is  a  kind 
of  supplement  to  the  Cuzari,  of  Rabbi  Jehudah  Ha- 
levy,  having  for  its  object  a  vindication  of  the  Oral 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2 1  I 

Law ;    besides    numerous    "  Discourses,"   and    papers 
in  the  transactions  of  learned  associations. 

Dr.  Loewe  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Society 
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  the  Asiatic  Soci- 
ety of  Paris.  A  recent  contribution  to  the  Jewish 
Messenger,  descriptive  of  a  visit  to  the  Samaritans 
of  Naplouse,  and  of  adventures  among  the  Druzes, 
inspires  a  strong  wish  that  this  accomplished  writer 
may  allow  his  name  to  be  brought  more  frequently 
before  the  public,  so  that  the  ripe  fruits  of  his  ex- 
perience may  become  a  source  of  literary  pleasure 
to  many  who  have  enjoyed  his  past  efforts. 

SAMUEL   DAVID   LUZZATTO. 

When  attempting  to  dilate  upon  the  careers  of 
individuals  whose  talents  and  acquirements  have 
created  wonder,  and  excited  the  deepest  veneration, 
one  must  keenly  feel  that  he  will  fall  short'  of  the 
undertaking.  Samuel  David  Luzzatto  may  be  safely 
said  to  have  excelled  all  his  contemporaries  as  a 
Hebraist.  We  make  this  assertion  with  a  boldness 
warranted  by  the  testimony  of  profound  critics. 
How  it  was  given  to  a  man  to  accomplish  single- 
handed  what  might  have  scarcely  been  expected 
from  the  combined  energies  of  many,  is  a  marvel 
to  scholars. 

Samuel  David  Luzzatto,  the  descendant  of  a  very 


212  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

learned  family,  was  born  at  Trieste,  Austria-Italy, 
on  the  22d  of  August,  1800.  Among  his  ancestors, 
Moses  Hayim  and  Ephraim  Luzzatto  are  names  not 
unknown  to  fame.  Hezekiah  Luzzatto,  the  father  of 
Samuel,  though  a  turner  by  trade,  possessed  such 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  and  Rabbinical  writings 
as  assisted  him  very  materially  in  furthering  the 
boy's  education.  When  three  years  old,  Samuel  was 
sent  to  school,  where,  incredible  as  it  may  seem,  he 
began  to  read  and  translate  the  Pentateuch.  At 
four  and  a  half  he  went  to  the  Talmud  Tor  ah  in- 
stitution, remaining  there  a  number  of  years,  and  ex- 
hibiting a  proficiency  which  entitled  him  to  frequent 
promotion.  Then  Rabbi  Mark  Isaac  Cologna  took 
charge  of  the  lad,  and  taught  him  Hebrew  Gram- 
mar. At  the  same  time,  and  for  five  years,  young 
Luzzatto  received  instruction  in  Talmud  from  Abra- 
ham Eliezer  Levy,  Chief  Rabbi  of  Trieste ;  and  he 
also  pursued  the  study  of  classical  and  modern  lan- 
guages, and  of  secular  branches  of  literature. 

Very  early  in  life,  Luzzatto  evinced  a  taste  for 
poetry,  and  he  would  try  his  hand  at  rhymes,  both 
in  Italian  and  Hebrew.  When  only  eleven  years, 
he  commenced  to  write  a  Hebrew  grammar,  and,  at 
twelve,  he  translated  the  life  of  yEsop  from  his  na- 
tive language  into  the  sacred  tongue,  and  even  ven- 
tured to  commit  to  paper  some  observations  on  the 
Five  Books  of  Moses.     Having    obtained'  as  a  prize 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  21  3 

at  school  the  celebrated  work  of  Montesquieu,  Con- 
siderations sur  les  Causes  de  la  Grandeur  des  Ro- 
mains  et  de  leur  Decadence,  he  eagerly  devoured  its 
contents,  and  ascribed  to  it  a  considerable  influence 
in  the  moulding  of  his  mental  faculties. 

In  1813  Luzzatto  rendered  into  Italian  some 
difficult  portions  of  the  ritual  of  the  German  Jews. 
Encouraged  by  a  natural  aversion  for  the  mystical 
interpretation  of  Holy  Writ,  then  in  vogue,  he  would 
engage  in  discussing  Cabbalism  with  his  father,  try- 
ing to  show  its  fallacies.  It  might  appear  impossi- 
ble that  a  youth  could  convince  his  parent,  already 
advanced  in  age,  of  the  falsity  of  a  system  to  which 
he  had  been  wedded,  and  which  counted  adherents 
among  the  most  polished  literators;  but  the  father 
did  yield  to  his  son's  arguments,  and  gave  up  the 
study  of  the  Cabbala.  The  subject  of  our  sketch 
now  took  up  philosophy  and  logic,  and,  notwith- 
standing that  straitened  means  compelled  him  to 
attend  to  household  duties,  he  still  kept  at  Locke 
and    Condillac. 

The  first  of  Luzzatto's  productions,  a  volume 
of  poems,  called  Kinor  Nangim  (Sweet  Harp), 
was  indited  in  1815.  It  contains  thirty-seven  pieces, 
one  of  which  is  descriptive  of  the  service  of  the 
High  Priest  on  the  Day  of  Atonement,  and  an- 
other of  the  national  misfortune  by  the  destruc- 
tion    of    Jerusalem.        But     lately    a     second     and 


214  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

large-sized  volume  of  poems  under  the  same  title 
has  been  issued.  In  1817  Luzzatto  wrote  Maa- 
mar  Hannickud,  a  pamphlet  on  Hebrew  punctua- 
tion, aiming  at  a  denial  of  the  authenticity  of 
the  Zohar,  the  principal  Cabbalistic  work.  This 
was  followed  the  next  year  by  Tor  alt  Nidreshet, 
(The  Law  Examined), — now  published  in  an  Italian 
translation  by  Rabbi  M.  C.  Porto, —a  philosophico- 
theological  treatise,  tending  to  prove  the  author- 
ship of  the  Pentateuch  by  Moses ;  and  Chelek 
KechUek  Yoclielu,  a  short  poem,  in  vindication  of 
the    ways   of  Providence. 

But  despite  all  that  Luzzatto  had  written,  he 
continued  unknown  to  his  co-religionists  until  181 8. 
The  following  incident  served  to  introduce  him  in- 
to that  circle  where  he  was  destined  to  sit  a 
monarch :  On  the  9th  of  June  of  the  year  men- 
tioned, a  daughter  of  an  Israelite  of  high  standing 
was  married  at  Trieste.  The  celebration  of  the 
wedding  had  elicited  the  composing  of  an  enigma, 
copies  of  which  had,  as  usual,  been  handed  to 
the  learned  for  a  solution.  Luzzatto's  father  ob- 
tained one  of  these,  and  endeavored  in  vain  to 
discover  the  answer.  At  last  the  son,  to  relieve 
his  parent,  requested  to  be  allowed  a  short  time 
for  reflection.  He  solved  the  enigma,  and  added 
thereto  a  few  lines  in  verse.  This  incident  was  the 
foundation  of  his  fame. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  21  5 

Yet  with  all,  the  material  advancement  of  the 
author  was  not  secured.  The  elder  Luzzatto  wished 
his  son  to  follow  some  trade,  or  mechanical  pur- 
suit ;  but  the  young  man  very  strongly  objected,  feeling 
that  he  possessed  the  qualities  to  make  his  mark  as 
a  writer.  At  first,  he  was  employed  as  tutor  in  a 
number  of  private  families,  and  he  contributed  to 
the  Bikkure  Haittim,  a  Hebrew  periodical,  published 
at  Vienna.  The  deep  learning  of  Samuel  David 
Luzzatto  soon  attracted  attention  abroad.  His  ca- 
pacities shone  forth  so  brilliantly,  that  he  was  de- 
servedly placed  among  the  most  renowned  Jewish 
literati. 

In  1829  the  Rabbinical  college  at  Padua  was 
opened,  and  Luzzatto  became  the  Professor  of  Bib- 
lical Literature.  While  he  lived,  that  seminary  grew 
in  reputation  as  a  model  university.  But  it  did  not 
long  survive  the  Professor.-  With  his  death,  the  in- 
terest once  evinced  by  the  community  ceased. 

It  was,  while  fulfilling  the  onerous  requirements 
of  this  position,  that  Luzzatto  penned  the  works 
which  stamped  him  as  a  real  genius.  The  indus- 
try and  research  he  used  in  the  preparation  of 
his  books  are  truly  amazing.  Nor  did  the  fruits 
of  early  and  painful  exertions  fail  to  appear  in 
all  their  splendor.  Scholars  hastened  to  pay  their 
obeisance  to  a  man  whom  they  were  proud  to 
own  as  master.    What  can   be  added  to  the  grand 


2l6  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

tribute  of  Prof.  Dr.  H.  Graetz,  who  says :    "  If  Kroch- 
mal  and  Rapoport  were  the  fathers  of  Jewish  history, 
Luzzatto   must   be   acknowledged   as  her  mother."  * 
Only   a   passing    reference     to    the    most    noted 
writings  of  the  Padua  Professor  can   here  be  made. 
Besides   innumerable  articles    in    nearly  every  Jewish 
journal   and    magazine    in    Europe,    there   were  pub- 
lished,    "  Dialogues    on    the    Cabbala,     the     Zohar, 
the    Antiquity    of    the    Vowel-Points    and    Accents 
of    the     Bible,"    seeking     to    gainsay   the    Cabbala, 
and   to   show  that    the   Zohar   dates  from  the  thir- 
teenth   century,    the    vowel-points     from    the    fifth, 
and   the   accents,  probably,    from    the    sixth ;    Prole- 
gomeni  ad  una    Grammatica    Ragionata    della   Lin- 
gua  Ebraica,    on    Hebrew   Grammar ;   Oheb    Ger,  on 
the    Aramaic   version   of  Onkelos ;    "  Moral   Theolo- 
gy;"   "  Dogmatic    Theology;"    "French    Notes   on 
Isaiah,"     written    at    the     request    of    Rosenmuller; 
"  Italian   Translation    of,   and     Hebrew    Commentary 
on,    the   Pentateuch,    with   a    Critical    and   Hermen- 
eutical  Introduction;"   "Isaiah,"  translated  into  Ital- 
ian,   with    a    Hebrew   comment,   and    considered   by 
some,    Luzzatto's  master-piece ;    an  Italian   rendition 
of  Job  ;    "  Historico-Religious    Discourses ;  "    annota- 
tions  on    a   collection    of  inedited    poems  by   Rabbi 
Jehudah    Halevy,    entitled   Betulath    Bath    Jeliudah; 
and   an    Italian    version   of    almost    the   entire    He- 
brew   Bible. 

*Geschichte  der  Juden,  XI.  502. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2\J 

Prof.  Luzzatto  also  carried  on  an  exceedingly 
large  correspondence  with  Rapoport,  Munk,  Kroch- 
mal,  Reggio,  Jost,  Geiger,  Albert  Cohn,  Zunz, 
Carmoly,  Dukes,  Fiirst,  Sachs,  Letteris,  Pinsker, 
Kayserling,  Frankel,  Graetz,  Steinschneider,  Kirch- 
heim,  Jellinek,  and  a  host  of  other  celebrities. 
To  his  last  days  he  was  busily  occupied,  even 
devoting    hours    of   the    night   to    literary   labors. 

On  the  30th  of  September,  1865,  "the  Sabbath 
of  Sabbaths,"  Samuel  David  Luzzatto  breathed  his 
last  at  Padua,  Italy.  The  news  of  his  demise 
spread  like  wild-fire,  and  sent  a  thrill  into  the 
hearts  of  thousands  who  had  learned  to  honor 
him  whose  life's  design  had  been  the  glorification 
of  Judaism ;  a  man  of  whom  it  may  be  said  he 
was  "  One  of  the  few,  the  immortal  names,  that 
were    not   born    to    die." 

Prof.  Luzzatto's  eldest  son,  Philoxene,  deceased, 
whose  mental  excellencies  cannot  be  too  highly 
praised,  is  spoken  of  in  the  succeeding  sketch  ;  the 
second,  Isaiah,  is  at  present  actively  engaged  in 
editing  the  posthumous  works  of  his  revered  father. 
Of  the  two  other  sons,  Joseph  is  a  lawyer,  and 
an  eminent  political  economist;  and  Benjamin  is 
a  celebrated  physician,  lately  appointed  Profes- 
sor   of    Pathology,     in     the    University    of    Padua. 


21 8  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

PHILOXENE   LUZZATTO. 

In  the  array  of  notabilities  which  this  series  has 
so  far  set  to  view,  there  will  have  been  seen  youths 
whose  continued  achievements  predicted  a  splendid 
future,  but  whose  careers  were  cut  short  by  an  un- 
timely death.  Davids  and  Hartog — the  one  through 
the  well-directed  use  of  his  precocious  talents ; 
the  other  through  his  industry  and  genuine  devo- 
tion to  religious  principles — will,  perforce,  fasten  them- 
selves on  the  memory  of  posterity.  But  admiration 
changes  into  veritable  reverence  when  we  look  at 
the  character  of  a  young  man,  who,  in  his  own- 
sphere,  stands  alone  in  the  annals  of  Judaism  of  our 
century.  That  no  hyperbole  is  indulged  in,  an  out- 
line of  the  history  of  this  real  genius  will   confirm. 

Philoxene  Luzzatto  was  born  at  Trieste,  Austria- 
Italy,  on  July  ioth,  1829.  No  sooner  was  he  able 
to  read  than  his  innate  tendencies  became  visible. 
What  presented  the  greatest  difficulties  chiefly  ar- 
rested his  attention.  Thus  naturally  inclined,  he 
overcame  linguistic  perplexities  almost  by  intuition. 
Like  Italian — his  native  language — French,  German, 
and  afterwards  English  were  brought  under  his  ab- 
solute control.  But  he  also  mastered  Hebrew,  Ara- 
maic, Syriac,  and  Arabic ;  then  Latin,  Greek,  and 
Sanscrit;  and   finally  Ethiopian. 

When  only  thirteen,  young    Luzzatto   deciphered 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  219 

some  old  inscriptions  on  tombstones  in  the  Padua 
Cemetery,  the  meaning  of  which  had  baffled  the 
understanding  of  eminent  scholars.  This  effected  an 
introduction  to  a  class  of  men,  with  whom  he  there- 
after closely  associated.  How  nobly  he  devoted  the 
advantage  thus  obtained  !  His  intercourse  and  cor- 
respondence with  the  literators  of  the  age  were  sole- 
ly in  the  interest  of  Judaic  science. 

When  fifteen,  Philoxene  read  a  narrative  of  trav- 
els in  Abyssinia,  by  a  Frenchman,  M.  D'Abbadie, 
in  which  more  satisfactory  accounts  than  those  for- 
merly received  were  given  of  Israelites  in  that  far- 
off  land.  He  'immediately  wrote  to  the  author,  and 
to  the  chiefs  of  the  Jews  dwelling  in  the  distant  re- 
gion, to  obtain  accurate  information  on  the  subject. 
After  waiting  long,  replies  came,  and  the  welcome 
help,  together  with  the  notices  he  had  gathered 
from  various  writings  on  the  topic,  enabled,  him  to 
set  at  once  to  work  on  a  history  of  the  Falashas, 
as  the  Abyssinian  Hebrews  are  called. 

Philoxene's  delineation  of  the  cuneiform  inscrip- 
tions at  Nineveh  displays  acumen  and  ingenuity. 
Noticing  a  similarity  between  them  and  the  San- 
scrit, he  published  Le  Sanscritisme  dc  la  Langue 
Assyrienne,  in  1 849 ;  and  Etudes  sur  les  Inscriptions 
Assyriennes  de  Persepolis,  Hamadan,  Van  et  Khor- 
sabad,  in  1850.  Then  followed,  in  1852,  Notice  sur 
Abou-Iousouf  Hasdai    Ibn-Schaprout,    on    a   Hebrew 


220  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

statesman  of  Spain,  in  the  tenth  century,  a  gener- 
ous patron  of  literature.  Memoir e  sur  les  Juifs 
U  Abyssinie  ou  Falashas,  on  the  Jews  of  Abyssinia  or 
Falashas,  appeared  in  the  Archives  Israelites,  of  Paris, 
after  the  author's  death. 

Young  Luzzatto's  fame  had  spread  abroad,  and 
he  was  honored  by  an  election  as  member  of  the 
Oriental  Society  of  Germany,  as  well  as  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Padua.  The  benefit  derived  from  studying 
at  the  Rabbinical  College,  wherein  his  father  taught, 
was  evidenced  in  his  Italian  translation  of,  and  splen- 
did Hebrew  commentary  on,  eighteen  chapters  of 
Ezekiel.  Furnished  with  a  talisman  by  his  surname, 
he  undertook  a  tour  through  Germany  and  France, 
where  he  examined  ancient  manuscripts  in  museums 
and  academies.  Wherever  he  journeyed,  an  enthu- 
siastic reception  was    tendered    him    by  the  savants. 

Of  Philoxene  Luzzatto's  .  minor  productions,  his 
remarks  on  the  existence  of  an  Assyrian  god,  named 
Semiramis,  and  on  the  inscriptions  on  the  ruins 
of  the  Israelitish  Cemetery  of  Paris,  are  of  special 
importance. 

The  life  of  young  Luzzatto  was,  unhappily, 
destined  to  be  meteor-like,  most  luminous,  but 
transient.  While  on  his  travels  a  disease  overtook 
him,  and  he  endured  for  many  months  excrucia- 
ting pains.  At  length  he  arrived  at  Padua,  but 
only   to   die.      Even    during    intense     suffering,    his 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  221 

mind  was  bent  on  literary  objects.  The  last  pages 
of  his  work  on  the  Falashas,  he  dictated  when 
near  his  end.  On  January  25th,  1854,  the  spirit 
returned  to  its  Maker.  "  The  bowl  was  broken, 
the  silver  chord  was  loosed." 

All  may  not  soar  so  high  as  Philoxene  Luzzatto, 
for  towering  were  his  capacities.  But  everyone  can 
usefully  apply  the  divine  gifts  of  intelligence  and 
reason ;  and,  what  is  most  essential  for  an  Israelite, 
he  can  employ  those  Providential  blessings  to  up- 
hold the  glory  of  his  faith. 

ROBERT    LYON. 

For  many  years,  Hebrews  lived  in  America  in  al- 
most total  silence,  indifferent,  to  all  appearances,  t6 
the  absence  of  an  organ  through  which  their  voices 
could  be  heard.  But  as  years  rolled  on,  it  became 
obvious  to  some,  that  the  establishment  of  a  medium 
for  the  presentation  of  Jewish  ideas,  the  diffusion  of 
Jewish  knowledge,  and  the  upholding  of  the  Jewish 
religion,  would  greatly  enhance  the  status  of  Israelites 
in  this  country.  Such  a  conviction,  however,  as- 
sumed no  tangible  form  until  1843,  when  the  Rev. 
Isaac  Leeser  brought  out  The  Occident  and  American 
Jewish  Advocate,  as  a  monthly  magazine.  But  the 
first  weekly  paper,  published  in  the  interest  of  Judaism, 
was  The  Asmoncan,  of  whose  editor  we  will  briefly 
speak. 


222  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

Robert  Lyon  was  born  at  London,  England,  on 
January  15th,  18 10.  Though  early  destined  for  mer- 
cantile pursuits,  he  gave  himself  up  to  study,  and,  be- 
fore reaching  manhood,  he  had  written  essays  for  dif- 
ferent journals.  Shortly  after  starting  in  business  at 
London,  Mr.  Lyon  joined  the  Synagogue  in  Maiden 
Lane,  where  his  talents  and  integrity  soon  gained 
him  the  good-will  of  the  congregation,  and  he  was 
elected  its  Treasurer.  On  the  marriage  of  Queen 
Victoria,  in  1840,  Mr.  Lyon  accompanied  Baron  de 
Goldsmid,  as  a  delegate,  to  present  a  congratulatory 
address  to  her  Majesty,  in  person. 

Mr.  Lyon  arrived  in  the  United  States  in  1844,  and 
engaged  in  a  manufacturing  enterprise,  but  without 
success.  Turning  his  attention  to  the  Jews  of  New 
York,  he  felt  that  such  an  important,  numerous,  and 
wealthy  community  ought  not  to  be  without  a  journal 
setting  forth  its  claims.  Still,  no  one  was  willing  to 
supply  the  want.  Then  Mr.  Lyon  took  the  matter  in 
hand,  and,  on  the  26th  of  October,  1849,  he  began 
the  publication  of  The  Asmonean.  For  nearly  nine 
years  he  conducted  the  paper  with  dignity  and  ability, 
numbering  among  his  contributors  several  gentlemen 
well-known  for  their  scholarship.  Mr.  Lyon  edited,  at 
the  same  time,  the  New  York  Mercantile  Journal,  de- 
voted to  commerce. 

Irreproachable  in  his  private  character,  cultured 
and  refined,  Robert  Lyon  might  have  long  enjoyed 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  223 

public  confidence,  but  a  sudden  illness  cut  him  off  in 
the  middle  of  his  days,  on  March  ioth  1858. 

Neither  The  Asmonean,  nor  the  New  York  Mercan- 
tile Journal,  held  out  long  after  their  editor's  death. 
But  from  the  seeds  planted  by  the  first  have  sprung 
the  American  Israelite,  the  Jewish  Messenger,  the 
Hebrew  Leader,  the  Jewish  Record,  the  American  He- 
brew, and  other  periodicals  of  a  similar  nature.  May 
they  always  labor  for  the  welfare  of  our  co-religion- 
ists, and  for  the  maintenance  of  those  sublime  prin- 
ciples given  to  Israel's  safe-keeping. 

DAVID    WOOLF    MARKS. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  trace  the  origin  of  Jewish 
Reform  in  Great  Britain.  But  as  names,  not  unfre- 
quently,  fail  to  convey  correct  ideas,  a  few  remarks 
may  be  deemed  pertinent.  To  confound  Reform 
in  England  with  that  in  Germany  and  America,  would 
be  an  error.  The  movement  that  gave  prominence  to 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  opposed  the  traditions  of 
Judaism  only  in  a  very  moderate  degree.  No  depart- 
ure from  the  ceremonial  ordinances  of  the  Mosaic 
code,  and  its  moral  tenets  was  attempted.  This  we 
are  impelled  to  say  in  obedience  to  historical  truth. 
Still  the  ritual  innovations  opened  a  sore  which  is  not 
yet  entirely  healed,  and  which,  for  a  time,  rankled  and 
festered  to  the  injury  of  a  great  religious  body. 


224  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

The  Israelite  to  whom  attention  is  drawn,  has  led 
Anglo- Jewish  Reform  from  its  incipient  stage. 

The  Rev.  Prof.  David  Woolf  Marks  was  born  at 
London,  England,  in  1811.  He  attended  the  Jews' 
Free  School,  obtaining  instruction  in  the  rudiments 
of  knowledge.  His  father  died  leaving  him  young, 
and  the  support  of  the  family  materially  devolved 
upon  the  lad.  All  his  leisure  moments,  however, 
were  assiduously  devoted  to  study. 

Employed  to  read  prayers  in  the  houses  of  wealthy 
people,  the  youth's  appearance  and  voice  impressed 
many  with  favor.  To  this  circumstance  must  be  attri- 
buted his  rising  to  the  position  of  assistant  reader  in 
the  Duke's  Place  (German)  Synagogue.  After  having 
filled  that  office  for  a  number  of  years,  Mr.  Marks  was 
appointed  Secretary  of  the  old  Orthodox  Congregation 
of  Liverpool.  In  the  prosecution  of  his  duties,  he 
gathered  around  him  a  host  of  friends  who  bore  testi- 
mony to  his  industry  and  efficiency.  But  subsequent 
events  showed  Mr.  Marks'  talents  to  the  best  advantage. 

Prior  to  the  year  1 840,  numerous  petitions,  couched 
in  respectful  language,  had  been  sent  to  the  Wardens 
of  the  Bevis  Marks  (Portuguese)  Synagogue,  urging 
alterations  in  the  ritual,  and  the  preservation  of  more 
order  and  decorum  in  the  Divine  worship.  The  estab- 
lishment of  a  House  of  Prayer  at  the  west  end  of 
London,  by  reason  of  the  distance  of  a  number  of 
members  from  the  sacred    precincts,   was   also   pres- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  22  5 

singly  solicited.  But  these  memorials,  though  they 
did  occasion  considerable  discussion  on  the  part  of  the 
Elders,  were  never  acted  upon.  Exhausting  every 
means  to  accomplish  their  objects,  several  gentlemen 
of  high  standing,  both  of  the  Sephardim  and  Ashkena- 
zim,  convened  together,  and  determined  to  secede,  and 
form  a  new  Congregation.  Among  the  advocates  of 
the  plan  were  the  widely-known  families  of  Goldsmid, 
Mocatta,  Henriques  and  Elkin.  But  all  realized  the 
difficulty  of  selecting,  as  a  spiritual  guide,  a  person 
equal  to  their  needs.  Mediocrity  would  not  answer 
when  a  staunch  defender  of  their  views  was  demanded. 
At  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Joshua  Van  Oven,  Mr.  Marks 
was  invited,  to  London,  to  meet  some  Hebrews  who 
had  espoused  the  new  cause.  The  interview  resulted 
in  his  election.  "  The  West  London  Congregation  of 
British  Jews,"  as  the  body  was  called,  consecrated  its 
first  Place  of  Worship,  in  Burton  street,  on  January 
28th,  1843.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Marks  conducted  the  ser- 
vice, and  delivered  the  dedicatory  address.  In  1851  a 
removal  was  made  to  an  edifice  in  Margaret  Street, 
Cavendish  Square,  and  in  1868  to  the  present  hand- 
some Synagogue  in  Berkeley  Street. 

Naturally,  this  separation  could  not  be  regarded 
with  indifference.  The  Elders  of  the  Portuguese  Con- 
gregation, at  their  meetings  of  February  26th,  and 
March  4th,  1842,  proclaimed  the  ban  of  excommuni- 
cation or  Herein  against   the   separatists,  Mr.  Marks, 


226  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

and   every  Jew  who  acknowledged    his  ministration, 
being  included  in  the  writ. 

Happily,  bitter  animosities  have  subsided.  A 
spirit  of  tolerance  has  worked  a  beneficial  change. 
The  real  interests  of  the  Jewish  people  are  now 
watched  over  in  England,  by  all  who  adore  the  God 
of  Sinai.  The  anathema  has  never  been  revoked,  but 
it  has  become  a  dead  letter  which  none  wish  to  resus- 
citate. 

Mr.  Marks'  flock  continue  in  their  attachment  to 
him.  For  the  Pastor  has  labored  thirty-eight  years  to 
make  good  the  expectations  formed  on  the  qualifica- 
tions early  exhibited.  Modest  in  his  demeanor,  he 
quietly  performs  obligations  of  the  importance  of  which 
he  early  became  sensible.  His  constituents  declared 
pulpit  instruction  an  essential,  and,  therefore,  sermons 
are  delivered  at  the  Synagogue  on  each  Sabbath.  The 
Minister  compiled  the  Prayer-Books  in  use,  and  arranged 
the  order  of  the  services. 

Through  the  aid  of  Sir  (then  Mr.)  Francis  H.  Gold- 
smid,  the  Congregation  was  recognized  by  Parliament, 
and  allowed  the  rights  pertaining  to  religious  corpora- 
tions. In  1857  a  kindred  institution  was  established 
at  Manchester,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gustav  Gottheil,  at 
present,  Rabbi  of  the  "Temple  Emanuel,"  of  New  York 
City,  occupied  the  pulpit  for  several  years.  It  is  now 
under  the  ministerial  charge  of  the  Rev.  L.  M.  Simmons, 
B.  A. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  227 

Besides  attending  to  the  immediate  wants  of  his 
congregation,  Mr.  Marks  has  been  active  in  furthering 
educational  designs.  This  fact,  together  with  the  abil- 
ities he  was  known  to  possess,  gained  him  the  Chair  of 
Hebrew  in  the  University  College  of  London,  in  1848, 
as  the  successor  of  the  lamented  Prof.  Hyman  Hurwitz. 
Recently  he  was  honored  by  being  chosen  Dean  of  the 
Faculty  of  Arts  and  Sciences. 

Prof.  Marks  is  a  director  of  several  organizations, 
such  as  "The  Anglo-Jewish  Association,"  and  "The 
Western  Philanthropic  Society."  He  often  lectures 
before  associations  not  of  his  people,  and,  as  an  orator, 
compares  favorably  with  the  best  among  the  Eng- 
lish clergy. 

Of  literary  productions  Prof.  Marks  has  published 
two  volumes  of  sermons,  and  a  pamphlet,  "  The  Law  is 
Light,"  in  addition  to  having  done  editorial  work  in 
Smith's  "  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,"  and  contributed  to 
the  press. 

It  has  been  held  that  his  unseen  influence  with  emi- 
nent statesmen  considerably  assisted  in  bringing  about 
the  passage  of  the  Bill  for  the  relief  of  Jewish  disabili- 
ties in  the  British  Empire — an  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  foremost  in  that  struggle  for  equal  rights, 
gives  support  to  this  assertion. 

A  self-made  man — as  the  Rev.  Prof.  Marks  certainly 
is — may  now  look  back  on  the  past  with  satisfaction. 
His  efforts  have  not  gone  unrewarded.     They  have 


228  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

upheld  the  high  social  standing  of  that  portion  of  the 
community  he  has  served,  and  have  prepared  the  way 
for  a  reconciliation  which  will  strengthen  the  bonds  of 
Anglo-Jewish  brotherhood. 

ISAAC  PESARO  MAUROGONATO. 
It  has  not  been  long  over  thirty  years  since  the 
gates  of  the  narrow  and  unventilated  quarters  in 
which  the  Jews  of  Rome  had  been  ;  confined  for  ages, 
were  thrown  down.  But  even  after  Pius  IX.,  feigning 
to  respond  to  the  demands  of  the  time,  granted  a  gra- 
cious boon,  and  allowed  his  subjects,  so  caged  in,  to 
leave  the  Ghetto,  few  ventured  out  of  its  limits.  They 
knew  that  rooted  prejudice  would  give  them  no  rest  be- 
yond the  horrid  precincts.  The  real  liberation  experi- 
enced under  the  popular  King,  Victor  Emanuel  II.,  in- 
fused a  new  spirit  into  the  Italian  Hebrews.  With  as- 
tounding rapidity  they  who  were  deemed  the  lowest, 
forced  themselves  up  to  distinction  by  talents  and  char- 
acter. We  find  among  them  leaders  in  municipal  and 
national  affairs,  and  the  Italian  Parliament  shows  a  Mor- 
purgo,  a  Luzzatti,  a  Maurogonato,  and  others  whose 
judgment  is  ripe  and  whose  counsel  is  heeded— and 
here  the  inestimable  services  of  Samuel  Alatri,  the 
champion  of  the  Roman  Jews,  must  be  publicly  ac- 
knowledged. But  it  is  of  Maurogonato — aptly 
styled  by  his  countrymen,  "  an  athlete  in  Parliamen- 
tary debate" — that  some  slight  information  is  thought 
to  be  opportune. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  229 

Isaac  Pesaro  Maurogonato  was  born  at  Venice, 
November  5th,  18 17.  When  he  began  to  apply  his 
faculties  to  the  study  of  the  Law,  he  did  it  with  an 
earnestness  that  finally  secured  to  him  the  degree  of 
Doctor.  A  maternal  uncle,  greatly  attached  to  the 
youth,  named  him  his  heir,  and  bequeathed  him  a 
large   fortune. 

Maurogonato  continued  at  his  profession,  while 
at  the  same  time  he  displayed  an  active  interest  in 
politics.  Having  contracted  a  strong  friendship,  for 
the  renowned  Daniel  Manin,  the  Venetian  Dictator, 
he  labored  with  that  patriot  to  effect  reforms  in  the 
government  of  his  native  city. 

During  the  stormy  days  of  1848,  Maurogonato  was 
appointed  Postmaster-General  of  Venice,  and  shortly 
after  he  became  a  member  of  the  financial  commis- 
sion. In  1849  he  was  called  to  the  most  delicate  and 
trying  office  of  Minister  of  Finance  and  Commerce. 
In  this  capacity  the  duty  devolved  upon  him  to  provide 
Venice  with  food,  the  city  being  besieged  by  the  Aus- 
trians.  In  that  station  his  probity  and  civic  virtues  be- 
came objects  of  general  admiration.  Notwithstanding 
the  great  pressure  on  the  public  treasury,  he  retired 
from  office  leaving  in  it  a  larger  sum  than  it  contained 
on  his  assuming  the  ministry.  After  the  fall  of  the 
Provisional 'Government,  and  the  return  of  the  Aus- 
trians  to  Venice,  one  of  the  authorities,  astonished  to 
find  accounts  so  scrupulously  kept  and  minutely  ren- 


23O  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OE 

dered,  exclaimed,  "  I  never  would  have  thought  that 
those  Republican  rebels  could  be  so  honest !" 

Maurogonato,  together  with  Manin  and  others, 
lived  for  some  time  in  exile,  and  he  afterwards  made  a 
short  sojourn  in  the  Ionian  Islands.  Returning  home, 
he  directed  his  attention  to  banking  and  insurance 
matters. 

When  Venice  became  a  part  of  the  kingdom  of 
Italy,  in  i860,  Maurogonato  was  elected  a  deputy  to 
Parliament,  which  position  he  filled  with  so  much 
credit  that  popular  will  again  placed  him  as  high. 
He  now  ranks  among  the  life-senators  of  his  native 
country. 

Maurogonato  has  published  several  essays,  and 
has  frequently  contributed  to  various  political  organs. 
As  a  thorough  financier,  he  has  few  equals  through- 
out Italy.  His  private  character  is  unblemished, 
his  charity  is  without  stint.  It  is  important  to 
mention  that,  while  Maurogonato  is  an  advocate  of 
every  measure  that  may  benefit  the  State,  he  is 
neither  forgetful  of  the  interests  of  his  fellow-be- 
lievers, nor  of  the  faith  of  his  fathers. 

RAPHAEL  MELDOLA.   . 

The  Portuguese  Jews  of  Great  Britain  have  had 
the  fortune  of  obtaining  as  spiritual  chiefs,  ripe 
scholars  and  men  of  undoubted  piety.     Rabbi  David 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  23  I 

Nieto,  the  Haham  during  a  portion  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  was  distinguished  as  a  philosopher,  physician, 
poet,  mathematician,  astronomer  and  theologian.  So 
rare  a  combination  of  learning  could  not  fail  to  hand 
down  his  name  to  posterity.  But  in  a  lesser  degree 
only  than  Nieto,  Meldola  exhibited  capacities  which 
marked  him  out  as  a  divine  of  vast  attainments. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Raphael  Meldola  was  born  at  Leghorn, 
Italy,  in  1754.  His  father,  Rabbi  Moses  Meldola, 
had  occupied  the  position  of  Professor  of  Oriental 
Languages  at  the  University  of  Paris,  and  gained 
renown  by  his  literary  productions.  In  fact,  the 
Meldola  family  for  many  generations  gave  the  world 
great  and  erudite  Rabbis.  Raphael  Meldola  pursued 
a  regular  course  of  studies,  soon  developing  those 
latent  talents  destined  to  be  brought  into  requisition 
for  the  benefit  of  the  House  of  Israel,  and  for  the  glory 
of  their  possessor.  When  but  fifteen,  Meldola  was 
permitted  to  take  his  seat  in  the  first  Rabbinical  uni- 
versity. In  1 803  he  obtained  the  title  of  Rabbi ; 
and,  as  such,  was  empowered  to  settle  disputed  cases, 
by  Din  Torah,  or  Mosaic  and  Talmudical  laws,  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  then  in  vogue  throughout  Italy. 

In  1805  Rabbi  Meldola  proceeded  to  London, 
whither  he  had  been  called,  to  fill  the  vacant  office  of 
Haham  of  the  Portuguese  community.  During  his 
ministration  stirring  events  took  place,  in  the  course 
of  which  the  Rabbi's  abilities  showed  to  great  advan- 


232  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

tage.  Di\  Meldola  cultivated  the  acquaintance  of 
scholars,  and  enjoyed  the  esteem  of  Christians,  not 
less  than  that  of  Israelites.  The  sermons  he  occasion- 
ally delivered  were  in  Spanish,  and  though  the  subject- 
matter  was  always  excellent,  the  language  of  Spain, 
once  universally  understood  by  the  congregation,  had 
then  become  almost  obsolete  among  the  young,  who 
naturally  preferred  their  native  language.  But  the 
special  characteristics  of  Dr.  Meldola  were  his  bene- 
volence and  generosity,  which  led  him  to  sacrifice  time 
and  means  for  others,  while  his  humble  and  unpreten- 
tious manners  increased  the  respect  entertained  for  the 
learning  of  the  Rabbi. 

Dr.  Meldola  died  on  the  1st  of  June,  1828,  aged 
seventy-four  years.  He  was  interred  by  the  side  of 
his  countryman  and  predecessor,  Rabbi  David  Nieto, 
an  honor  which  he  particularly  craved. 

To  mention  a  few  of  Rabbi  Meldola's  writings : 
first  appeared  Korban  Minha,  explanatory  of  the  ser- 
vice of  the  High  Priest,  read  in  the  Portuguese  Syna- 
gogues on  the  Day  of  Atonement.  In  1796  was  issued 
Hupat  Hatanim,  which  is  said  to  display  great  know- 
ledge of  mathematics,  as  well  as  of  Talmud.  Dr. 
Meldola  left  several  works  in  manuscript,  one  of  which, 
originally  written  in  Hebrew,  and  translated  by  his 
son,  the  Rev.  David  Meldola,  is  entitled  D'erech  Emunah, 
(The  Way  of  Faith).  It  treats  of  Jewish  doctrines, 
rites,  etc. 


THE  , NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  233 

The  Rev.  David  Meldola,  who,  after  his  father's 
death,  became  presiding  officer  of  the  Beth  Din,  or 
Ecclesiastical  Board  of  the  Sephardim,  acquired  dis- 
tinction for  his  abilities  as  a  Hebraist  and  linguist. 
He  was  also  a  native  of  Leghorn,  having  emigrated 
with  his  parents,  when  rather  young,  to  England.  Mr. 
Meldola  died  in  March,  1853,  and  with  him  closed  a 
long  line  of  eminent  scholars  who  had  successfully 
labored  in  the  field  of  sacred  literature. 


GIACOMO  MEYERBEER. 

Years  of  study  would  be  required  to  write 
understandingly  on  the  origin,  history,  and  modern 
development  of  the  sublime  art  of  Music.  Therefore, 
in  presenting  what  relates  to  the  career  of  a  great 
celebrity,  we  must  beg  the  kind  indulgence  of  our 
readers  for  attempting  that  which  others,  by  their 
full  knowledge  of  the  subject,  have  effectually 
accomplished. 

Giacomo  Meyerbeer  (properly  Jakob  Meyer  Beer) 
was  born  at  Berlin,  Prussia,  on  the  5th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1794,  of  a  family  some  of  whose  members  had 
become  remarkable  for  their  musical  abilities.  As 
early  as  his  fifth  year,  he  performed  tunes  on  the 
piano  spontaneously.  After  receiving  instruction  from 
various  tutors,  he  was  placed  in  the  conservatory 
at    Cassel,  under    the    charge    of   that    distinguished 


234  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

musician,  the  Abbe  Vogler.  He  had  already  studied 
dramatic  composition  under  Bernhard  Anselm  Weber. 
While  at  Cassel  he  formed  the  acquaintance  and 
friendship  of  the  renowned  maestro,  Carl  Maria  von 
Weber,  with  whom  he  competed  in  the  production 
of  church  music. 

Meyerbeer  soon  brought  forth  a  cantata,  "  God 
and  Nature."  This  was  followed  by  his  first  opera, 
u  Jephthah's  Vow,"  which  passed  its  trial  on  the- 
Munich  stage,  in  1812.  It  failed,  however,  to  arouse 
the  audience,  and,  though  warmly  admired  by  Vog- 
ler,  Weber,  and  others,  it  was  considered  a  failure. 
Meyerbeer  now  proceeded  to  Vienna,  where,  at 
the  express  desire  of  the  Court,  lie  composed 
"  The  Two  Caliphs."  But  it,  unfortunately,  met 
the   fate  of  the   previous    opera. 

Italian  music  was,  at  that  time,  in  the  ascen- 
dency, and,  by  the  advice  of  Salieri,  director  of 
the  Vienna  opera,  Meyerbeer  visited  Italy,  where 
he  became  a  convert  to  the  new  Italian  school, 
and  what  he  afterwards  produced  proved  highly 
popular.  "  Romilda  and  Constanza"  was  greeted 
with  deafening  applause  at  Padua,  in  18 19.  Then 
came .  "  Semiramide,"  performed  at  Turin,  the  same 
year;  "  Emma  of  Resburg,"  at  Venice,  in  1820, 
and  which  created  a  furor \  "  Margaret  of  Anjou," 
"  The  Exiled  of  Granada,"  and  "  The  Crusader." 
The  success    of   the  last    work    was   immense.      For 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  235 

many  weeks  it  remained  the  standing  programme 
of  the  theatres  of  Italy  and  Germany,  and  its  soft- 
ness and  richness  of  tone,  afforded  the  most  decisive 
proofs  of  the  wonderful  capacities  of  its  author. 
Meyerbeer  now  took  up  his  residence  at  Paris,  where, 
in  1 83 1,  after  very  active  preparations,  "  Robert,  the 
Devil,"  one  of  the  grandest  of  his  operas,  was  given 
to  an  expectant  public.  It  excited  the  wildest  en- 
thusiasm throughout  France,  England,  Italy,  Austria 
and  Russia.  Meyerbeer  may  be  said  to  have  reached 
the  climax  of  his  fame  on  the  appearance  of  "The 
Huguenots,"  though  "  The  Pilgrimage  to  Ploermel," 
and  "The  Prophet,"  won  universal  encomiums. 
Among  the  other  of  our  composer's  operatic  works 
may  be  mentioned  "Peter  the  Great,"  "  Dinorah," 
"The  African,"  and  "Almanzor;"  the  last-named 
having  never  been  represented,  by  reason  of  the  ill- 
ness of  the  Prima  Donna  chosen  to  introduce  it  up- 
on the  stage.  Meyerbeer  likewise  wrote  a  vast 
number  of  sacred  and  miscellaneous  pieces,  all  of 
which  clearly  show  the  versatility  of  his  genius. 

The  German  poet,  Heine,  said  of  Meyerbeer : 
"  He  is  the  man  of  the  times ;  his  themes  are  those 
of  the  spirit  of  the  times,  and  embody  the  struggles 
of  modern  history  for  liberty ;  the  cry  of  desperation 
of  the  writhing  century  finds  vent  in  The  Huguenots, 
The  Prophet,  and  Robert.  The  passions  of  a  fettered 
and  gagged  generation  send  forth  their  shrieks  and 


236  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

wailings,  and  utter  their  claims  for  sympathy  in 
measured  words,  and  the  brazen  sounds  of  the 
orchestra." 

At  Paris,  France,  on  the  2d  of  May,  1 864,  Gia- 
como  Meyerbeer,  when  nearly  three  score  years  and 
ten,  was  called  to  his  final  home.  But  those  rich 
legacies,  his  musical  productions,  will  be  the  laurels 
forever  encircling  his  name. 

Meyerbeer's  brothers,  Wilhelm,  the  astronomer, 
and  Michael,  the  dramatist,  did  good  service  to  the 
cause  of  progress,  and  their  own  labors  bespeak  the 
praise  of  the  wise. 

MOSES   MONTEFIORE. 

When  the  history  of  the  Jews  of  our  century  shall 
be  written,  universal  consent  will  assign  the  brightest 
page  to  the  man  whose  name  rises  on  every  lip  with 
a  blessing.  He  needs  not  feel  lowered  from  his 
eminence  when  looking  back  at  the  Hasdai's  and 
Hannagids  of  Spain — patrons  of  learning,  defenders 
of  their  race ;  for  his  gold  flows  like  a  perennial 
stream  to  benefit  the  indigent,  and  encourage  sa- 
cred knowledge.  The  days  of  his  existence  have 
been  of  endless  service  to  Israel  and  mankind.  God 
destined  that  Hebrew  as  an  exemplar  of  his  age.  To 
teach  mercy,  he  was,  like  Moses  of  old,  sent  to  Kings' 
palaces  with  Divine  messages ;  to  instil  veneration  for 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  237 

the  revealed  Law,  he  was  made  to  withstand  all  the 
allurements  which  beset  a  princely  station  ;  to  point 
to  the  eternity  of  prophetic  promises,  he  was  inspired 
to  inscribe  Jerusalem  on  his  escutcheon.  Is  there 
an  Israelite  that  must  be  told  to  whom  these  imperfect 
utterances  apply  ?     All  know  the  deliverer. 

Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  Bart,  F.  R.  S.,  was  born  at 
Leghorn,  Italy,  on  the  24th  of  October,  1784, 
while  his  parents  were  there  on  a  visit ;  but  he 
was  soon  brought  to  London.  His  father,  Joseph  E. 
Montefiore,  Esq.,  a  noted  banker,  controlled  considera- 
ble means,  which  he  freely  used  to  give  his  children 
an  excellent  education.* 

Our  Moses  soon  rose  to  prominence  as  a  successful 
merchant,  and  more  so  for  his  probity  and  benevolence. 
He  evinced  the  liveliest  interest  in  Jewish  affairs, 
hence,  in  April,  1828,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Deputies  of  British  Jews,  an  organization 
founded  in  1760,  and  still  commanding  influence  at 
home  and  abroad. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  when  said  association 
was  formed,  as  a  protection  to  Israelites,  these  could 
not  take  part  in  matters  relating  to  the  government  of 
Great  Britain.  An  insuperable  obstacle  was  the  cere- 
mony attending  induction  into  office,  such  as  being 
obliged  to  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 

*Of  the  brothers  of  Sir  Moses,  Abraham  was  an  important  mem- 
ber of  the   Jewish  community. 


238  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

and  to  be  sworn  "On  the  true  faith  of  a  Christian," 
etc.  The  Board  of  Deputies  labored  long  and  strenu- 
ously to  have  the  obnoxious  acts  repealed,  but  not  till 
the  year.  1 85 8  did  the  yearnings  and  strivings  of 
zealous  men  prove  successful. 

On  the  resignation  of  Moses  Mocatta,  Esq.,  the 
efficient  President,  in  1835,  Moses  Montefiore,  whose 
exalted  character  had  ever  imparted  solemn  dignity 
to  the  Board,  sat  as  its  chief.  In  1837  this  most  popu- 
lar Israelite  was  preferred  to  the  office  of  Sheriff  of 
London  and  Middlesex,  and,  in  the  same  year,  Queen 
Victoria,  valuing  a  subject  acknowledged  to  be  one  of 
nature's  noblemen,  created  him  a  Baronet,  with  the 
privilege  of  using  a  coat-of-arms — an  honor  conferred 
only  on  peers  of  the  realm. 

But  in  1840  the  foundation-stone  of  that  greatness 
which  will  ever  distinguish  our  champion  was  laid. 
When  a  cry  of  misery  from  Damascus  wrung  the  soul 
of  every  Jew,  Sir  Moses,  obedient  to  the  impulses  of 
his  generous  heart,  stepped  forward  and  took  the  lead 
in  the  defence  of  a  persecuted  people,  maliciously 
charged  with  a  heinous  crime.  He  proceeded  imme- 
diately to  the  East,  in  company  with  Lady  Montefiore, 
M.  Cremieux,  Prof.  Munk,  Dr.  Loewe,  his  Private 
Secretary,  and  other  personages.  Despite  the  repre- 
hensible conduct  of  the  French  Government  that 
sanctioned  the  wicked  deeds  of  its  Consul,  Count 
Ratti  Menton,  the  merciful  mission  met  with  a  happy 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  239 

issue.  Some  time  after  his  return,  Sir  Moses  was  pre- 
sented with  a  testimonial  by  his  British  brethren,  and, 
subsequently,  with  a  handsome  gift  by  the  Jews  of 
Germany,  for  the  noble  efforts  made  in  behalf  of  our 
cause. 

To  tell  what  claims  the  English  Baronet  has  on 
the  gratitude  of  all  who  feel  Jewishly,  or,  to  be  more 
correct,  of  all  who  feel  humanely,  would  demand  the 
unfolding  of  the  history  of  this  age,  as  it  regards  the 
status  of  Israelites  in  countries  of  misrule,  of  misery 
and  of  oppression.  For  to  repeatedly  remonstrate 
with  tyrants,  and  to  inimitably  help  the  hapless,  has 
been  the  task  assumed,  and  magnificently  achieved  by 
Moses  Montefiore.  One  illustration  may  be  of  interest 
In  1858  the  civilized  world  was  convulsed  by  the  dis- 
covery that  Jewish  children  were  being  abducted,  and 
forced  to  embrace  the  Catholic  faith.  The  most  start- 
ling instance  was  that  of  Edgar  Mortara,  stolen  from 
his  parents  in  Bologna,  Italy.  The  act  had  been  pub- 
licly sanctioned  by  His  Holiness  (?)  Mastai-Ferretti, 
who  was  anxious  for  the  salvation  of  the  lads  soul.  At 
the  news  of  the  outrage,  Sir  Moses  hastened  to  Rome, 
and  endeavored  to  obtain  an  audience  with  the  in- 
fallible Pontiff.  Our  leading  representative  was  re- 
fused, and  Cardinal  Antonelli  was  sent  to  inform  him 
that  interposition  would  be  of  no  avail.  Sadly  did 
the  benign  messenger  return  to  England,  but  not  at 
all  shaken  in  the  determination  to  stand  up  as  a  bul- 


24O  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

wark  of  defence,  and  so  he   has   continued   without 
cessation. 

Notwithstanding  the  dissuasion  of  his  dearest 
friends,  Sir  Moses  undertook  a  seventh  voyage  to 
Jerusalem  in  his  ninety-second  year,  and  he  has  given 
a  narrative  of  it  in  a  volume  which  imparts  pleasing 
information  about  men  and  places. 

The  piety  of  Sir  Moses  exceeds  all  praise.  To 
perform  his  devotions  with  the  prescribed  number, 
he  supports  the  Synagogue  erected  at  his  expense, 
and  attached  to  his  country-residence  at  Ramsgate. 
Colleges,  hospitals,  asylums,  and  places  of  wor- 
ship, which  do  not  even  belong  to  his  persuasion, 
have  been  endowed  by  the  Baronet,  and  the  amount 
expended  on  these,  as  well  as  on  poverty-stricken 
families  in  all  climes,  cannot  be  calculated. 

It  is  the  hope  of  millions,  that  this  glory  of  Israel 
may  endure  still  longer ;  that,  though  bordering  on  his 
hundredth  year,  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  may  abide  here 
in  health,  to  mirror  forth  all  that  is  good  and  noble 
in  human  nature. 


JUDITH  MONTEFIORE. 

The  author  of  the  Book  of  Proverbs  revealed  the 
inspiration  which  led  his  pen,  when  he  personified  wis- 
dom in  the  form  of  a  woman.  She  is  made  to  stand 
prominent,  and  she  tells  men  that  "  the  fear  of  the 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  24 1 

Lord  is  to  hate  wrong,  pride  and  arrogance,  and  an  evil 
way."  The  voice  of  woman  thus  raised  to  offer 
godly  counsel,  possesses  an  all-penetrating  force.  Its 
earnest  tones,  heard  at  the  domestic  fireside,  cannot  fail 
to  effect  durable  blessings.  The  consort  of  the  great 
Sir  Moses  Montefiore  was  a  Jewess  who  felt  her  power 
for  good,  by  urging  her  husband  on  to  marvellous 
achievements,  and  actively  participating  in  his  grand 
work. 

Judith  Montefiore,  daughter  of  Barnet  L.  Cohen, 
Esq.,  and  sister  of  Baroness  Hannah  de  Rothschild, 
was  born  at  London,  England,  in  1 784.  Her  father  did 
not  belong  to  the  Portuguese  community  of  Jews.  He 
worshipped  with  his  brethren  of  German  and  Polish 
extraction.  The  descendants  of  those  who  had  settled 
again  in  England,  by  permission  of  Oliver  Cromwell, 
looked  upon  their  co-religionists  of  another  ritual  as 
their  inferiors.  As  a  natural  consequence,  intermar- 
riages were  avoided  ;  a  Portuguese  deeming  it  deroga- 
tory to  his  standing  to  take  one  for  a  wife  from  among 
the  females  of  a  congregation  whose  genealogical  tree 
did  not  show  the  Dons  or  the  Hidalgos.  It  needed  a 
moral  courage  not  easily  mustered  to  face  the  prejudice, 
and  break  its  backbone.  Sir  Moses  was  the  man  both 
to  attack  and  conquer  it.  On  the  10th  of  June,  181 2, 
he  wedded  a  Jewess  who  had  not  read  her  prayers  in 
the  Bevis  Marks  Synagogue. 

The   choice   was   fortunate,   for  Miss    Cohen   was 


242  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

endowed  with  intelligence  and  tender  feelings,  and  she 
knew  how  to  bring  her  qualities  to. bear  on  the  further- 
ance of  the  philanthropist's  designs. 

Lady  Judith  accompanied  Sir  Moses  on  his  numer- 
ous tours,  undertaken  in  behalf  of  humanity,  and  ri- 
valled his  generosity  by  distributing  of  her  own  means. 
Observant  of  what  occurred  during  her  journeys,  she 
wrote  an  interesting  volume  with  the  title,  "  Notes  of 
a  Private  Journal  of  a  Visit  to  Egypt  and  Palestine," 
printed  for  private  circulation. 

Like  Sir  Moses,  Lady  Montefiore  performed  her  re-' 
ligious  duties  with  unswerving  strictness,  and  she  visi- 
ted schools  promotive  of  Hebrew  knowledge,  reward- 
ing meritorious  pupils,  and  speaking  encouragingly  to 
teachers. 

This  noble  woman,  whose  whole  life  did  not  belie 
the  name  of  Judith  (Jewess)  she  bore,  believed  that  her 
mission  was  not  fulfilled  when  caring  only  for  those  of 
her  own  faith,  but  she  made  the  unfortunate  of  other 
creeds  partake  of  her  bounties. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  1 862,  Sir  Moses  was  be- 
reft of  his  dearest  companion.  Lady  Montefiore  died 
in  her  seventy-eighth  year,  and  was  interred  in  the 
burial-place  which  her  husband  had  consecrated  at 
Ramsgate.  The  tears  of  him  she  fondly  loved  moisten 
the  earth  that  covers  her  mortal  remains,  and  count- 
less numbers  lament  the  loss  of  their  benefactress. 
"  Many  daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but  thou 
hast   excelled   them   all.'' 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  243 

IGNAZ  MOSCHELES. 

The  art  of  Music  and  that  of  writing  are  not  neces- 
sarily twin-born.  But  it  occasionally  happens  that  the 
hand  whose  delicate  touch  evokes  sweet  strains  can 
wield  a  graceful  pen.  This  double  acquirement  adds 
lustre  to  the  possessor,  and  eclat  to  his  performances. 
But  in  Ignaz  Moscheles  three  qualifications  combined  to 
render  his  name  famous.  He  was  admired  as  a  player, 
a  composer,  and  a  scholar.  True,  many  years  were  given 
him  to  reach  the  height  he  attained,  but  when  very 
young  he  had  already  moved  upward  so  rapidly,  that 
all  could  predict  his  future  greatness. 

Ignaz  Moscheles  was  born  at  Prague,  in  Bohemia, 
Austria,  on  the  30th  of  May,  1794.  As  early  as  his 
eighth  year  he  received  instruction  in  music  from 
F.  D.  Weber,  director  of  the  conservatory.  The  boy's 
innate  talents  developed  fast,  and  when  eleven  he  per- 
formed on  the  piano  with  the  ease  and  skill  of  a  fin- 
ished artist.  His  introduction  to  men  of  note  naturally 
followed,  and  each  hailed  the  rising  genius. 

While  still  a  lad,  Moscheles  went  to  Vienna,  and 
there  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Haydn  and  Beethoven, 
who  advised  him  to  continue  studying.  He  became 
the  pupil  of  Albrechtsberger,  under  whom  he  made 
such  progress  as  to  create  amazement.  He  competed 
with  Hummel,  then  reputed  the  first  pianist  in  Germany. 

Moscheles  now  undertook  an  extensive  continental 


244  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

tour,  his  playing  creating  everywhere  rapturous  delight. 
In  1820  he  removed  to  England,  where  he  resided  for 
twenty-six  years.  Here  his  abilities  met  with  full  re- 
cognition, his  popularity  increasing  to  so  wide  an  ex- 
tent, that,  in  1825,  he  was  appointed  Professor  in  the 
Academy  of  London ;  also  Conductor  of  the  Philhar- 
monic Concerts,  holding  both  stations  more  than  two 
decades.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  few  could  ob- 
tain the  latter  position,  it  being  granted  only  to  a  mu- 
sician of  the  very  highest  order. 

Moscheles  rendered  incalculable  service  to  the  mu- 
sical world,  by  inducing  the  English  to  cultivate  the 
compositions  of  Bach,  Mozart,  Beethoven,  and  other 
acknowledged  masters.  In  fact,  he  brought  more  in- 
fluence to  bear  upon  this  than  any  who  preceded  or 
succeeded  him.  His  thorough  knowledge  of  the  piano- 
forte, and  capacity  to  show  forth  its  wonderful  applica- 
tions, mainly  tended  to  the  glory  he  achieved.  Then, 
his  rendition  of  Beethoven's  sonatas  and  concertos  left 
him  without  a  superior,  and,  probably,  an  equal. 

In  1846  Moscheles  was  chosen  Director  of  the  Con- 
servatory of  Leipsic,  spending  there  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  As  a  composer,  he  wrote,  for  the  piano,  violin, 
and  other  instruments,  pieces  which  are  splendid  speci- 
mens of  classical  music,  and  marvels  of  perfection  and 
beauty. 

Moscheles'  cultured  mind  enabled  him  to  search  into 
matters  other  than  those  to  which  he  specially  devoted 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  245 

himself.  His  literary  work,  an  English  translation  of 
Schindler's  "  Life  of  Beethoven,"  to  which  he  added 
valuable  notes,  does  him  honor. 

The  career  of  Ignaz  Moscheles  ended  at  Leipsic,  in 
Saxony,  Germany,  on  the  ioth  of  March,  1870.  Pro- 
ductions of  sterling  merit  will  always  declare  their  own 
praise,  and  he  must  be  deaf  to  the  voice  of  truth  who 
does  not  hear  the  deserved  eulogy. 

SALOMON  HERMANN  MOSENTHAL. 

The  cultivation  of  the  drama,  and  its  adapta- 
tion to  the  requirements  of  an  enlightened  age, 
form  a  subject  which  has  engaged  the  attention 
of  some  of  the  deepest  thinkers.  Not  the  presen- 
tation of  spectacles  so  common  among  the  ancient 
Greeks  and  Romans,  and  which  mocked  their 
boasted  civilization,  has  been  the  labor  of  Shaks- 
peare,  and  those  who  have  followed  in  the  wake  of 
the  immortal  bard  of  Avon.  Tragedies  and  com- 
edies, of  a  nature  calculated  to  afford  both  in- 
struction and  amusement,  are  now  put  upon  the 
stage.  Public  sentiment  also  tends  to  raise  them 
to  a  more  elevated  plane,  so  that  even  the  fastid- 
ious may  not  interpose  an  objection.  The  prolific 
pen  of  Mosenthal  has  done  much  to  forward  this 
good  movement.  That  man  is  conceded  to  have 
been   a    genuine    dramatist,    laboring    to    one   laud- 


246  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

able  end,  and  giving  the  world  magnificent  results 
of  his  superior   talents. 

Dr.  Salomon  Hermann  Mosenthal  was  born 
at  Cassel,  in  Hesse-Cassel,  Germany,  on  January 
14th,  1 82 1.  Having  obtained  a  preparatory  train- 
ing, he  went  to  the  Polytechnic  School  at  Carls- 
ruhe,  where  the  study  of  natural  sciences  occupied 
his  time.  He  afterwards  proceeded  to  Marburg, 
and  there  received  his  diploma  as  Doctor  of  Philos- 
ophy, in  1842.  All  along,  his  progress  had  been 
rapid,  foretokening  a  useful  career. 

Dr.  Mosenthal,  having  repaired  to  Vienna,  became 
private  tutor  in  the  family  of  a  rich  banker.  He 
seized  the  opportunity  of  making  the  acquaintance 
of  a  number  of  literary  celebrities,  which  circumstance 
materially  aided  in  bringing  him  to  public  notice.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  1 85 1,  the  Doctor  was  appointed  archiv- 
ist of  the  ministry  of  State  and  of  public  instruction. 

Dr.  Mosenthal's  efforts  had  already  begun  to  as- 
sume a  determined  shape.  Diving  into  his  resolute 
purpose,  he  brought  forth,  in  1850,  what  insured 
his  fame, — "Deborah,"  a  drama  which  Madame  Ristori, 
known  and  acclaimed  in  both  hemispheres,  has  been 
proud  to  play,  and  which  has  universally  met  with  a 
glowing  reception.  Only  an  Israelite  whose  heart 
beats  in  unison  with  the  oppressed  of  his  race, 
could  have  given  the  world  that  touching  drama. 
It    is    historically  Jewish    in    the     spirit    pervading 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2^J 

it,  but  forcibly  carries  away  all  who  listen,  inten- 
sifying the  interest  in  each  successive  scene.  The 
popular  favor  exhibited  for  this  piece,  paved  the 
way  for  the  success  of  a  second,  Sonnenwendhof 
— 1856;  and  a  third,  "  The  German  Comedians '* 
— 1863.  The  first  two  have  been  translated  into 
English,  Italian,  Danish,  Hungarian,  and  other 
modern  languages.  Their  author  also  issued  M  Cecile 
of  Albano,"  "  Life  of  a  German  Poet,"  "  The 
Goldsmith  of  Ulm,"  "  Pietra,"  "  Isabella  Orsini," 
etc.,    etc. 

As  a  poet,  Dr.  Mosenthal  is  entitled  to  a 
large  share  of  praise ;  not  only  for  the  ideas  un- 
derlying his  dramas,  but  also  for  the  art  displayed 
in  versification,  as  exemplified  in  his  "  Lyric  Poems," 
and    minor   compositions. 

Dr.  Mosenthal  died  on  February  17th,  1877. 
Time  may  ungraciously  consign  to  forgetfulness 
some  of  the  offerings  of  his  rich  intellect,  but 
"  Deborah  "  will  ever  remain  alive  and  fresh  in 
dramatic   literature. 


SALOMON   MUNK. 

From  the  twelfth  century,  when  Benjamin  de 
Tudela  wrote  his  book  of  travels, — the  statements  in 
which  have  been  strongly  disputed  and  as  vigor- 
ously defended,  learned  works  on  the  geography  and 


248  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

history  of  the  Holy  Land,  and  the  habits,  manners, 
and  pursuits  of  its  inhabitants,  have  issued  from  the 
pens  of  Israelites.  But  whoever  desires  to  see  the 
results  of  conscientious  investigations  of  those  sub- 
jects, advanced  in  a  clear,  comprehensive,  and  at- 
tractive style,  must  read  Munk's  "  Palestine."  When 
it  will  further  on  be  made  known  what  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  wrought  among  his  contemporaries, 
respect   will   grow    into   affection. 

Salomon  Munk,  the  son  of  a  poor  Synagogue 
beadle,  was  born  at  Glogau,  in  the  province  of 
Silesia,  Prussia,  on  May  14th,  1805.  From  child- 
hood he  applied  himself  assiduously  to  study.  When 
only  fifteen  years  of  age  he  travelled  to  Berlin — 
part  of  the  way  on  foot,  for  want  of  means — to  be 
instructed  in  the  Oriental  languages.  He  afterwards 
went  to  Bonn,  and  gained  a  knowledge  of  the  Arabic. 
Having  made  considerable  progress  in  various 
branches  of  learning,  he  proceeded  in  1828  to  Paris, 
to  attend  the  lectures  of  Sylvestre  de  Sacy,  Abel 
Remusat,  and  men  of  equal  celebrity.  Here  he 
attained  high  distinction,  for  his  thorough  ac- 
quaintance with  Persian,  Sanscrit,  Arabic,  and  other 
Eastern  tongues. 

The  year  1835  found  him  in  England,  where  he 
spent  some  time  at  the  University  of  Oxford,  making 
preparations  for  the  issue  of  an  edition  of  Maimonides' 
celebrated    work,     More    Ncbuchim.      At   the    same 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  249 

period  he  contributed  several  essays  to  the  Journal 
Asiatique  and  the  Dictionnaire  des  Sciences  Philo- 
sophiques,  which  attracted  the  attention  of  the  learned. 
In  1838  Munk  received  the  appointment  of  deputy- 
keeper  of  the  Oriental  MSS.,  in  the  Royal  Library 
of  Paris,  which  position  added  to  his  store  of  knowl- 
edge, and  redounded  to  the  advantage  of  the  insti- 
tution. The  salary  was  hardly  sufficient  to  support 
life,  still  the  generous  scholar  would  offer  a  number 
of  poor  children  gratuitous  instruction. 

When  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  M.  Cremieux,  Dr. 
Loewe,  and  others  were  about  to  visit  the  East,  to 
put  an  end  to  the  atrocities  committed  on  the  Jews 
of  Damascus  and  Rhodes,  Munk  gladly  accepted  an 
invitation  to  accompany  the  philanthropists,  and  to 
make  his  knowledge  aid  in  the  vindication  of  justice. 
Before  returning  home,  he  visited  Egypt,  with  M.  Cre- 
mieux, and  secured  many  interesting  MSS.,  in  Arabic, 
relating  to  the  early  literature  of  the  Karaites,  etc. 
Already  before  that  time  several  of  Munk's  works 
had  been  published.  "  Reflections  upon  the  Worship 
of  the  Ancient  Hebrews,  in  its  Connection  with 
Other  Worships,"  appeared  in  1833;  and  "An 
Account  of  Rabbi  Saadiah  Gaon,  and  his  Arabic 
version  of  Isaiah,"  in  1838.  From  1842  to  1850 
came  in  regular  order,  "  Notes  on  Joseph  Ben- 
Jehoudah ;"  "  Commentary  of  Rabbi  Tanhoum  of 
Jerusalem,  on  the  Book  of  Habakkuk ;"  "  The  Phoe- 


250  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

nician  Inscriptions  at  Marseilles ;"  "  Notes  on  Aboul- 
walid  Mervvan,  Aben-Ganach ;"  and  u  Palestine,"  the 
most  obvious  manifestation  of  Munk's  erudition,  and 
which  Prof.  M.  A.  Levy,  of  Leipsic,  has  presented 
in  a  German  garb. 

In  1852  Dr.  Munk  became  totally  blind;  but  this 
unfortunate  circumstance  did  not  check  his  unceasing 
labors.  Some  of  his  principal  productions  were,  in- 
deed, written  after  his  loss  of  sight.  On  December 
2d,  1858,  in  acknowledgment  of  his  many  services 
to  the  cause  of  science,  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Academy  of  Inscriptions  and  Belles-Lettres. 
The  celebrated  French  historian,  M.  Guizot,  travelled 
from  Normandy  to  Paris  solely  to  cast  his  vote  for 
the  savant,  whom  he  highly  esteemed.  Even  rigid 
Catholics  and  devout  Protestants  undisguisedly 
favored  the  choice.  Shortly  after  this,  Munk  became 
the  representative  of  the  Israelites  of  Lyons  in  the 
Central  Consistory  at  Paris,  and  subsequently  he 
was  decorated  as  Chevalier  of  the  Legion  of  Honor. 
Faithful  to  his  duties  in  the  several  offices  to  which 
he  had  been  elevated,  he  nevertheless  found  time  to 
publish  his  writings.  "  Memoirs  of  the  Hebrew 
Grammarians  of  the  Tenth  and  Eleventh  Centuries" 
appeared,  and  was  followed  by  "  Miscellanies  on 
Jewish  and  Arabic  Philosophy,"  that  part  relating 
to  philosophy  among  the  Jews  having  been  trans- 
lated   into    German   by   B.  Beer.     But    Munk's   chef 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  25  I 

d'ceuvre,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  monument  of  his 
skill  in  the  Arabic  language  and  its  literature,  is 
his  composition,  in  three  volumes,  of  the  More  Ne- 
buchim,  of  Rabbi  Moses  Maimonides.  This  was  issued 
in  the  original,  with  a  French  translation,  and  criti- 
cal, literary  and  explanatory  notes,  bearing  the  title 
La  guide  des  egar'es ;  traite  de  theologie  et  de  philoso- 
phie,  ("  A  Guide  to  the  Erring — a  Treatise  on  The- 
ology and  Philosophy  "). 

Munk's  fame  had  now  become  world-wide,  and 
he  was  universally  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  scholars  of  the  day.  Witness  his  having 
succeeded  M.  Renan,  as  Professor  of  Semitic  Lan- 
guages in  the  College  of  France,  in  1865.  How  the 
selection  was  greeted  may  be  perceived  from  the  sub- 
joined remarks  of  L  Union,  a  journal  of  ultramontane 
tendencies,  which  could  have  been  hardly  supposed 
to  favor  a  Jew :  "  A  weak,  blind  man,  who,  only  by 
the  sense  of  touch,  can  build  up  the  world  of  his 
thoughts,  traverses  the  centuries  of  nations,  cities, 
idioms.  What  a  spiritual  power !  He  is  an  orna- 
ment to  science,  for  he  teaches  the  scholar  how  to 
love.  France  possesses  in  him  the  greatest  philolo- 
gist, and  though  a  mysterious  decision  of  a  kind 
Providence  has  robbed  him  of  his  physical  light,  the 
renown  which  he  has  gained,  and  the  greater  name 
which  he  will  yet  earn,  are  sure  to  shine  in  splendor 
for  all  times,  and  the  light  which  he  has  shed  into 


252  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

the  darkness  of  Phoenician  knowledge  will  never 
die  out." 

On  February  1st,  1865,  Prof.  Munk  delivered 
his  inaugural  address  on  the  Hebrew,  Chaldaic  and 
Syriac  languages,  in  which  he  touchingly  alluded 
to  his  blindness,  and  spoke  of  his  effort  in  ex- 
ceedingly modest  terms.  He  occupied  the  station 
named     until    his    death,     on     February    6th,    1867. 

Among  those  who  pronounced  panegyrics  on  the 
life  and  deeds  of  the  deceased  were  M.  De  Long- 
perier,  President  of  the  Academy  of  Inscriptions  and 
Belles-Lettres ;  M.  Albert  Cohn,  the  scholar  and 
philanthropist;  M.  Adolphe  Franck,  of.  the  Central 
Consistory,  the  philosopher  and  author ;  and  M.  Isidor, 
Grand  Rabbi  of  France,  who,  as  a  Jewish  divine,  feel- 
ingly spoke  of  the  departed.  Rabbi  Isidor  pointed 
out  Munk's  devotion  to  duty,  and  related  how  the 
immortal  writer  had  drawn  the  eyes  of  the  world 
to  the  literature  of  the  people  with  whom  he  had 
shared  belief  and  aspirations. 

SELIG  NEWMAN. 

The  anomaly  of  employing  a  Jew  to  teach  the 
Scriptures  in  the  original  text,  and  dubbing  a  Chris- 
tian with  the  title  "  Professor  of  Hebrew,"  is  not  rarely 
met  in  the  annals  of  the  world.  Thus  two  famous  Uni- 
versities in  England  have  more  than  once  listened  to 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  253 

the  expositions  of  scholars  of  our  race  who  were 
nevertheless  compelled  to  live  in  obscurity.  For  the 
learning  of  those  who  did  not  avow  the  Trinity  could 
not  receive  public  recognition.  Happily  the  German 
Neubauer,  and  the  Hungarian  Schiller-Szinessy  were 
not  born  when  old  England  bent  reverently  before 
her  cob-webbed  statistical  records ;  else  neither  would 
the  one  be  esteemed  at  Oxford,  nor  the  other  at 
Cambridge. 

But  Selig  Newman  arrived  in  London  upwards  of 
sixty  years  ago.  Therefore  he  was  forced  to  "  hide 
his  light  under  a  bushel,"  and,  after  having  taught 
at  a  University,  was  morally  compelled  to  emigrate 
in   an  humble   condition  to  the  United  States. 

Selig  Newman  was  born  at  Posen,  Prussian 
Poland,  in  1788.  He  early  disclosed  remarkable 
talents,  and  a  desire  for  Biblical  knowledge  which  he 
gained  to  perfection.  He  was  educated  in  the  city 
of  his  birth,  and  made  rapid  progress  in  the  different 
branches  imparted. 

Poland,  many  of  whose  Jewish  inhabitants — not- 
withstanding the  depressive  effect  of  Russian  des- 
potism— are  very  apt  scholars,  lent  Newman  many 
earnest  co-laborers,  in  the  field  he  had  chosen.  But 
wishing  to  breathe  more  freely  he  betook  himself  to 
England  when  twenty-eight  years  old.  There  he  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  minister  of  the  congrega- 
tion at  Plymouth,  while  at  the  same  time  he  taught 
Hebrew  at  the  University  of  Oxford. 


254  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Newman  possessed  such  knowledge  in  what  be- 
longs to  sacred  literature,  that  many  distinguished 
Christian  as  well  as  Jewish  ministers,  were  numbered 
among  his  pupils.  But  his  faith  unfortunately  de- 
barred him  from  being  chosen  to  a  high  professor- 
ship with  a  liberal  salary,  in  a  college  of  universal 
repute. 

While  in  London,  Newman  took  part  in  a  spirited 
debate  with  some  Christians,  on  the  Messianic  proph- 
ecies, which  he  boldly  described-  as  entirely  foreign 
to  the  subject  applied  by  Gentiles.  His  arguments 
created  a  deep  impression,  and  procured  for  him  a 
name,  if  not  a  position  of  ease  and  comfort. 

At  a  rather  advanced  age,  Newman  sailed  for 
America,  and  made  his  home  in  New  York.  He 
gained  a  livelihood  by  teaching,  but  did  not  relax  in 
his  activity  as  a  writer.  In  1850  appeared  a  work 
entitled  "  The  Challenge  Accepted,"  consisting  of  a 
series  of  dialogues  between  a  Jew  and  a  Christian, 
respecting  the  accomplishment  of  the  prophecies  on 
the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  In  this,  Newman  exhibits 
his  thorough  Bibical  training.  "  Emendations  of  the 
English  Version  of  the  Old  Testament,"  a  "  Hebrew 
and  English  Lexicon,"  a  "  Hebrew  Grammar,"  etc., 
were  also  published.  Some  manuscripts  of  a  con- 
densed translation  of  the  Bible  were  found  after  his 
death.  Possibly  the  writer  intended  to  produce  a 
compendium   of  Holy  Writ  and  the  Apocrypha,  like 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  255 

that  issued  by  Jacob  Levi  Levinski,  with  the  aid  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Vidaver,  and  others. 

Selig  Newman  died  at  Williamsburgh,  New  York, 
on  February  20th,  1 87 1,  after  a  long  and  useful  ca- 
reer of  eighty-three   years. 


MORDECAI    MANUEL  NOAH. 

American  Israelites  have  not  remained  passive  in 
that  which  concerns  the  political  welfare  of  their  coun- 
try, yet,  unaccountable  as  it  may  seem,  few^of  them 
have  been  preferred  to  offices  of  distinction.  Perhaps 
the  motive  may  be  attributed  to  a  disposition  of  our 
people  for  retirement,  which  ages  of  persecution  have 
engendered,  or  it  may  be  the  effect  of  prejudice, 
which,  even  in  this  goodly  land  of  equality,  has  not 
altogether  died.  Nevertheless,  now  and  then  He- 
brews are  intrusted  with  responsible  positions  which 
they  fill  creditably  to  themselves  and  their  fellow- 
believers.  The  case  about  to  be  cited  is  a  note- 
worthy illustration. 

Mordecai  Manuel  Noah  was  born  at  Philadelphia, 
on  July  14th,  1785.  He  first  applied  himself  to  a 
trade,  but  soon  abandoned  it  for  the  study  of  the  law. 
Removing  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  he  grew  popular  as  a 
local  politician.  In  181 1,  during  the  administration 
of  President  Madison,  Mr.  Noah  received  his  first 
public    appointment,  as    American    Consul   at    Riga, 


256  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Russia.  His  conduct,  while  in  that  office,  merited  so 
much  approval  that,  in  1 81 3,  he  was  selected  as 
Consul-General  at  Tunis,  bearing,  at  the  same  time,  a 
mission  to  Algiers.  The  United  States  being  then 
engaged  in  a  war  with  Great  Britain,  the  vessel  in 
which  Mr.  Noah  sailed  was  captured  by  a  British 
frigate,  and  he  remained  a  prisoner  for  several  weeks. 

While  at  Tunis,  he  succeeded  in  rescuing  a  num- 
ber of  Americans,  held  as  slaves  in  the  Barbary 
States.  His  outspoken  protest  against  the  payment 
of  an  annual  tribute  to  the  pirate  Government  of  Mo- 
rocco, for  the  security  of  our  merchant  marine,  doubt- 
less occasioned  the  demand  for  his  recall.  Some, 
however,  ascribe  the  removal  to  Mr.  Noah's  religion, 
which,  it  was  argued,  might  injuriously  affect  the 
diplomatic  relations  between  the  two  countries. 

After  making  a  tour  through  portions  of  Conti- 
nental Europe,  Mr.  Noah  returned  to  America,  and 
permanently  settled  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Turn- 
ing his  attention  to  journalism,  he  became  identified 
with  several  leading  newspapers.  He  founded,  and 
edited  successively,  the  National  Advertiser,  the  New 
York  Courier  and  Inauirer,  and  the  Evening  Star. 
These  were  followed  by  the  Swiday  Times,  an  influ- 
ential organ,  at  present  directed  by  Robert  M.  Noah,  . 
Esq.,  son  of  its  founder. 

Mr.  Noah's  reputation  as  a  journalist  placed  him 
high  in   the  esteem  of  his  contemporaries,  but  it  did 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  257 

not  tend  to  lessen  his  wonted  zeal  for  politics.  His 
influence  was  wholly  exercised  for  a  period,  in  the 
support  of  President  Van  Buren's  administration.* 
The  citizens  of  New  York  honored  Mr.  Noah,  by 
electing  him  Surveyor  of  the  Port,  and,  shortly  after, 
Judge  of  the  Court  of  Sessions.  When  acting  in  the 
capacity  of  Sheriff,  the  outcry  was  raised  against  a 
Jew's  hanging  a  Christian,  which  called  forth  Mr. 
Noah's  famous  epigram,  "  Pretty  Christians,  forsooth, 
to  deserve  hanging." 

The  philanthropic  efforts  of  Mr.  Noah  deserve 
universal  praise.  While  the  yellow  fever  raged  on 
Manhattan  Island,  the  law  imprisoning  debtors  was 
relentlessly  enforced.  Many  a  poor  creature  was  dying 
of  the  plague,  when  the  Sheriff  took  upon  himself  to 
liquidate  all  obligations,  and  thus  set  the  prisoners 
free.     This  generosity  made  him  a  bankrupt. 

But  the  great  scheme  of  Mr.  Noah's  life  is  yet  to 
be  mentioned.  He  entertained  the  idea  of  a  perma- 
nent settlement  of  the  Jews  at  Grand  Island,  in  the 
Niagara  River.  In  1820  he  announced  his  undertak- 
ing, and  attempted  to  induce  an  emigration  to  that 
place.  But,  though  the  project  was  not  crowned  with 
success,  Mr.  Noah's  faith  in  its  feasibility  did  not 
falter,  and  he  erected  on  the  designated  spot  a  mon- 
ument,   with    the     inscription  :  ■  "  Ararat,   a     City   of 

*  See  «  The  Mfe  and  Times  of  Martin   Van  Buren,"    by   William 
L.  Mackenzie. 


258  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Refuge  for  the  Jews,  founded  by  Mordecai  M.  Noah, 
in  the  month  of  Tishri,  5586  (September,  1825),  and 
in  the  fiftieth  year  of  American  Independence." 
This  memorial  of  the  interest  he  manifested  in  the 
well-being  of  his  people,  has  since  crumbled  to  dust. 
But  the  name  of  Mordecai  Manuel  Noah  will  live  as 
one  of  the  noble  types  of  an  American  and  a  Jew. 

Mr.  Noah  died  in  New  York,  on  May  22d,  185 1. 
Among  his  published  works  are  :  "  Travels  in  England, 
France,  Spain,  and  the  Barbary  States ;"  a  translation 
of  the  "  Book  of  Yashar;"  "Gleanings  from  a 
Gathered  Harvest  " — a  collection  of  miscellaneous  es- 
says; several  dramas,  which  were  put  upon  the 
stage  with  some  success,  and  numberless  contribu- 
tions to  political  and  local  periodicals. 

JACQUES    OFFENBACH. 

The  increasing  taste  for  musical  compositions  of 
a  light  and  sparkling  character  has  singularly  con- 
tributed to  the  popularity  of  Offenbach.  His  operas 
attract  and  amuse  uncritical  audiences,  and  therefore 
command  a  patronage  which  the  emanations  of  a 
Mozart  or  a  Mendelssohn  cannot  secure.  We  would 
not,  however,  be  charged  with  disparaging  merit 
where  it  exists.  Offenbach's  works  reveal  a  genius; 
for  it  is  not  an  easy  undertaking  which  he  has  ac- 
complished.    To  found  a  school  of  music,  eminently 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  259 

adapted  to  furnish  pleasing  diversion  to  persons 
who  seek  enjoyment,  still  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  mysterious  art;  to  offer  a  style  essentially  dif- 
ferent from  others  in  almost  every  particular,  requires 
a  courage  and  self-assertion  which  cannot  be  under- 
rated, when  accompanied  with  corresponding  abili- 
ties. No  hesitation  is  therefore  felt  to  briefly  sketch 
the  career  of  an  eminent  exponent  of  the  new  sys* 
tern. 

Jacques  Offenbach  was  born  at  Cologne,  Prussia, 
June  2 1  st,  1 819.  After  pursuing  a  course  of  instruc- 
tion, he  proceeded  to  the  Paris  Conservatory,  where, 
from  1835  to  1837,  he  obtained  a  clear  insight  into 
the  music  of  the  time.  He  early  began  to  play 
upon  the  violoncello,  and  his  performances  made  a 
marked  impression.  Becoming  known,  he  was  ap- 
pointed, in  1847,  leader  of  the  orchestra  at  the 
Theatre  Francais. 

In  1855  Offenbach  established  Les  Bouffes  Pari- 
siens  on  the  Cliamps  Elysees,  as  a  summer  theatre, 
transferring  his  company  in  the  winter  to  the  Thea- 
tre de  Comte,  in  the  passage  Choisetd.  With  the 
opening  of  the  first-named  resort,  his  fame  spread, 
and  so  rapidly  that  his  prosperity  was  assured.  In 
1873  ne  assumed  the  directorship  of  the  Gaite  The- 
atre. 

The  productions  of  M.  Offenbach  are  numerous. 
He    published     first    La    Fontaine's    fables,  set    to 


260  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

music.  La  Belle  Helene  appeared  in  1864.  This 
opera  illustrated  at  once  the  novel  method  adopted 
by  the  composer.  The  general  appreciation  could 
not  be  misunderstood.  But  Orph'ee  aux  Enfers 
called  forth  positive  enthusiasm.  When  first  brought 
out,  it  ran  for  three  hundred  consecutive  nights, 
with  a  success  scarcely  equalled  in  musical  annals. 
La  Barbe  Bleue  in  1866,  was  followed,  in  1867,  by 
La  Grande  Duchesse,  perhaps  the  most  effective  of 
Offenbach's  compositions.  It  has  certainly  achieved 
a  triumph.  La  Perichole,  Genevieve  de  Brabant, 
Les  Brigands,  La  Princessc  de  Trebizonde,  and  Rot 
Carotte,  twere  given  to  the  public  from  1868  to 
1872.  La  Jolie  Parfumeuse  in  1873,  and  Madame 
L  Archiduc  in  1874,  have  considerably  enhanced 
the  composer's  reputation.  For  the  copyright  of 
his  spectacular  opera  bouffe,  "  Whittington  and  his 
Cat,"  produced  at  the  Alhambra  Theatre,  London, 
in    1874,    M.    Offenbach    received  £"3,000. 

There  seems  to  be  no  waning  in  the  interest  dis- 
played for  his  effusions.  Most  all  of  those  men- 
tioned still  hold  the  stage  throughout  Europe  and 
America,  the  mere  announcement  of  their  presenta- 
tion being  sufficient  to  draw  throngs.  M.  Offen- 
bach did  make  an  attempt  to  work  out  music  of  an 
elevated  standard,  when  he  wrote  Barcouf  and 
"  Robinson  Crusoe."  But  timely  discovering  his 
unadaptability,  he   has  wisely  devoted    his  sole    en- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  26 1 

ergies  to  that  which  is  more  calculated  to  meet  the 
cravings  of  those  who  are  carried  away  by  the  crea- 
tions  of  a   volatile  genius. 

M.  Offenbach  visited  the  United  States  a  few 
years  ago,  and  was  tendered  an  ovation. 

Admitting  that  Jacques  Offenbach  cannot  be 
numbered  with  the  great  masters,  he  has  vindicated 
his  claims  to  the  gratitude  of  the  public  whom 
during  past  years,  he  has  amused.  If  he  has  not 
edified  or  improved  his  audiences,  he  has,  at  all 
events,  helped  them    drive   away   dull   care. 

JULES  OPPERT. 
The  Orient  has  furnished  materials  wherewith  a 
wonderful  history  is  being  built.  The  edifice  is  still 
in  course  of  erection,  and  new  and  .skilful  workmen 
supply  the  places  left  vacant  by  former  operatives. 
What  Champollion,  and  Rosellini,  and  Botta  began, 
Rawlinson,  and  Layard,  and  Smith  have  continued, 
and  our  Jules  Oppert  is  now  perfecting.  By  universal 
consent,  that  son  of  the  olden  race  may  claim  to  be 
the  most  successful  of  laborers  in  searching  among 
monuments  that  mouldered  in  the  dust  of  ages,  and 
in  employing  what  he  discovers  to  raise  a  more  com- 
plete fabric. 

Prof.  Dr.  Jules  Oppert  was  born  at  Hamburg, 
Germany,on  the  9th  ot  July,  1825.  Learning  appears 
to  have  been  a  family  inheritance,  for  his   maternal 


262  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

uncle,  Edward  Gans,  had  achieved  celebrity  as  a  jurist. 
A  thorough  classical  education  preceded  the  youth's 
law  studies  at  Heidelberg.  Evincing  a  taste  for 
philology,  young  Oppert  went  to  the  University  of 
Bonn,  and  followed  Freytag's  course  in  Arabic,  and 
Lassen's  in  Sanscrit.  He  next  proceeded  to  Berlin, 
and  in  1847  to  Kiel,  receiving  a  diploma  in  philology. 
He  applied  himself  diligently  to  the  Zend  and  the 
ancient  Persian,  with  encouraging  results. 

Laws  in  Germany,  prejudicial  to  Hebrews,  were  yet 
in  force,  when  M.  Oppert  attained  manhood.  He 
found  it  impossible  to  pave  his  way  to  promotion  in 
that  country,  and  therefore  determined  to  seek  in 
France  what  was  shut  against  him  in  the  ungracious 
land  of  his  birth.  Arrived  at  Paris  in  1847,  he  soon 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  the  eminent  savants 
Burnouf  and  Letronne,  who  immediately  perceived 
the  talents  with  which  he  was  endowed.  By  their  aid 
he  obtained,  in  1848,  the  professorship  of  German  at 
Laval,  and  subsequently  at  Rheims. 

Contributions  to  the  Asiatic  Journal  and  the  Arch- 
CBological  Review,  on  the  cuneiform  characters  at 
Persepolis,  on  the  Persian  language,  and  kindred  sub- 
jects, drew  towards  M.  Oppert  the  attention  of  the 
French  Institute.  It  being  announced  that  the 
Imperial  Government  intended  sending  a  commission 
to  Mesopotamia,  under  the  lead  of  Fulgence  Fresnel, 
the  subject  of  our  sketch  was  designated  as  a  member 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  263 

thereof.  Returning  to  France  in  1854,  he  submitted 
plans  for  interpreting  inscriptions  at  Babylon  and 
elsewhere.  At  the  same  period  he  was  naturalized. 
In  the  following  year  the  Minister  of  Instruction 
charged  him  with  a  mission  to  England  and  Germany, 
to  examine  the  inscriptions  on  Assyrian  monuments 
contained  in  the  different  museums.  The  important 
revelations  made,  led  to  his  appointment  to  the  chair 
of  Sanscrit  in  the  school  attached  to  the  Imperial 
Library,  and  to  his  being  awarded  the  decoration 
of  the  Legion  of  Honor. 

In  1863  M.  Oppert  won,  over  numerous  competitors, 
the  great  biennial  prize  offered  a  second  time  by  the 
Institute,  for  the  work  most  fitted  to  reflect  honor 
upon  the  country.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1874, 
his  efforts  were  duly  recompensed  by  his  being  chosen 
Professor  of  Assyrian  Philology  and  Archaeology  in 
the  College  of  France. 

In  his  productions,  Oppert  unfolds  a  new  system 
of  deciphering  inscriptions,  and  its  satisfactory  appli- 
cation has  most  enhanced  its  value.  Aside  from 
articles  in  the  French  Athenceum,  in  the  Annals  of 
Christian  Philosophy ',  and  in  English  journals  and 
magazines,  the  Professor  has  issued  "  The  Criminal 
Laws  of  the  Hindoos" — 1847,  tne  thesis  of  his  exam- 
ination for  the  degree  of  Ph.  D. ;  "  The  Vowel-System 
of  the  Ancient  Persians" — 1847;  "The  Inscriptions 
of  the  Achemenides" — 1852;    "Assyrian  Studies" — 


264  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

1858;  "Scientific  Expedition  to  Mesopotamia,  by 
order  of  the  French  Government" — 1858,  containing, 
in  addition  to  the  narrative  of  the  voyage,  some  re- 
markable facts  relative  to  the  chronological  history  of 
the  Assyrians,  and  of  the  Babylonians,  and  to  the 
reading  of  the  inscriptions,  from  an  historical  point 
of  view,  together  with  charts,  plans,  etc. ;  "  Cuneiform 
Inscriptions  Deciphered  a  Second  Time" — 1859; 
"Sanscrit  Grammar" — 1859  ;  "  Elements  of  the  Assyr- 
ian Grammar" — 1860;  "The  Present  State  of  the 
Decipherment  of  the  Cuneiform  Inscriptions" — 1 861  ; 
"History  of  the  Chaldean  and  Assyrian  Empires" — 
1866;  "The  Immortality  of  the  Soul  Among  the 
Chaldeans,"  followed  by  a  translation  of  "The  Descent 
of  Istar  Astarte  into  the  Infernal  Regions" — 1875; 
etc.,  etc.  The  inscriptions  of  the  Sargonides  at 
Nineveh,  and  the  great  one  at  Khorsabad,  have 
been  treated  upon  in  separate  writings.  The  works 
mentioned  are  eagerly  sought  after,  and  perused  with 
avidity. 

It  is  not  on  a  single  occasion  that  Jews  have 
reason  to  feel  a  just  pride,  but  in  the  present  instance 
they  can  point  to  a  man  within  their  fold,  whose  pen 
is  authoritative,  and  to  whose  dictum  masters  of 
science  bow  in  humble  acknowledgment. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  265 

DANIEL  LEVY  MADURO  PEIXOTTO. 

A  complete  mastery  of  Materia  Medica  may  be 
the  boast,  but  is  not  the  possession,  of  all  practitioners. 
Only  physicians  who  have  followed  their  chosen 
profession  with  intensity  of  love  have  attained  an 
enviable  rank.  The  sentiments  they  nurtured  incited 
them  to  overcome  impediments.  What  one  of  these 
worthies  achieved  in  a  short  existence  of  forty-three 
years,  the  annexed  lines  will  briefly  tell. 

Daniel  Levy  Maduro  Peixotto,  M.  D.,  the  son  of 
Moses  L.  M.  Peixotto,  merchant,  and  subsequently 
Minister  of  the  Portuguese  Congregation  Shearith 
Israel,  of  New  York,  was  born  at  Amsterdam,  Hol- 
land, on  July  1 8th,  1800.  His  mother,  a  highly 
cultured  woman,  first  took  charge  of  the  boy's  edu- 
cation, and  instructed  him  in  languages,  history,  and 
religion.  Later,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Strasbeck  took  the 
lad  under  his  charge,  and  finally  John  Ironsides,  at 
New  York,  prepared  him  for  Columbia  College, 
whence  he  graduated  in  18 16. 

In  the  same  year,  young  Peixotto  began  his  medi- 
cal studies  with  Dr.  David  Hosack.  He  applied 
himself  with  earnestness,  and  profited  greatly  by 
attending  the  regular  course  of  lectures.  In  1819 
the  degree  of  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon  the  youth. 

Ill  health  impelled  Dr.  Peixotto  to  seek  warm 
climates.     He  visited  the  West  Indies  and  Caraccas, 


266  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

and,  during  his  stay  in  the  latter  place,  advantageously 
exercised  his  vocation.  In  1823  he  returned  to 
New  York,  where  many  had  recourse  to  his  skill. 
The  Doctor's  activity  gave  him  an  exalted  station 
by  the   side   of  the  leading  physicians  of  the  day. 

As  a  writer,  Dr.  Peixotto  acquired  fame  by 
articles  of  acknowledged  merit,  and  of  considerable 
importance  to  the  profession.  In  i825-'6,  conjointly 
with  Drs.  Beck  and  Bell,  he  edited  the  New  York 
Medical  and  Physical  Journal  and  "  Gregory's  Prac- 
tice." All  pertaining  to  medicine  enchained  his 
thoughts  and  quickened  his  pen. 

But  Dr.  Peixotto  did  not  entirely  confine  himself 
to  his  own  private  practice.  He  was  a  public-spirited 
man,  and  he  served  as  one  of  the  Physicians  of  the 
old  City  Dispensary  in  1827,  and  as  President  of  the 
New  York  County  Medical  Society  from  i830-'2. 
One  of  the  projectors  and  organizers  of  the  Society 
for  Assisting  the  Widows  and  Orphans  of  Medical 
Men,  he  also  urged  the  establishment  of  a  Medical 
Library. 

So  much  appreciated  were  the  Doctor's  endeavors 
that,  in  1836,  he  received  the  appointment  of  Pro- 
fessor of  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine  and  of 
Obstetrics,  and  also  that  of  Honorary  Member  of 
the    Medical   Society  of  Lower  Canada. 

Possessed  of  a  store  of  useful  knowledge,  which 
he  continually  brought  to  bear  on  the  discharge  of 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  267 

his  duties ;  truly  religious ;  liberal  in  his  dealings 
with  his  fellow-men ;  and  generous  to  a  fault :  Dr. 
Peixotto  could  not  but  command  the  affection  of 
his  brethren,  and  the  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact. 

But  too  soon  was  a  noble  career  destined  to 
close.  At  New  York  City,  on  May  13th,  1843, 
Daniel  L.  M.  Peixotto  exchanged  this  transitory  life 
for  that  of  everlasting  peace  and  happiness. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  PEIXOTTO. 

The  history  of  a  man  whose  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  humanity  has  made  him  as  widely  known 
on  the  Eastern  as  on  the  Western  Continent, 
must  surely  be  of  interest  to  all  lovers  of  their 
kind.  It  speaks  of  deeds  of  self-denial.  It  points 
to  an  exceptional  Hebrew  of  America,  who  sac- 
rificed the  sanguine  hopes  of  a  brilliant  future  at 
home,  to  become  a  deliverer  abroad,  and  thus 
advance    civilization. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Peixotto,  born  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  on  the  13th  of  November,  1834, 
is  a  son  of  Dr.  Daniel  L.  M.  Peixotto,  an  emi- 
nent physician'.  His  parents  removed  to  Ohio  in 
1837,  but  returned  to  New  York  in  184 1,  where 
Benjamin  received  an  education.  In  his  thirteenth 
year,    shortly    after    his    father's   death,    he   settled 


268  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

at  Cleveland.  Endowed  with  a  clear  understand- 
ing and  bright  talents,  he  soon  attracted  public 
attention. 

Mr.  Peixotto  studied  law  under  the  celebrated 
statesman,  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  for  whom  he 
showed  a  sincere  attachment,  which  continued 
uninterrupted  until  the  death  of  his  preceptor  in 
1 86 1.  He  early  engaged  in  politics,  and  contrib- 
uted articles  to  the  Cleveland  Plaindealer,  for  the 
success  of  Mr.  Douglas'  election  as  President  of 
the  United  States.  Conspicuous  in  literary  circles, 
he  associated  with    many   distinguished   scholars. 

From  youth,  affairs  pertaining  to  Israelites  ex- 
cited Mr.  Peixotto's  warmest  interest.  His  voice 
often  resounded  in  societies,  and  in  the  Jewish 
lodges.  As  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  B'nai  B'rith  (Sons  of  the  Covenant),  he  did 
much  to  elevate  the  standing  of  that  organization, 
and,  in  the  year  1863,  he  was  chosen  Grand  Saar, 
or  Master.  A  small  institution  had  increased  so 
rapidly,  that,  at  the  period  of  Mr.  Peixotto's  elec- 
tion, the  Order  counted  twelve  thousand  members, 
about  one-half  of    its   present    number. 

The  idea  of  establishing  an  Orphan  Asylum 
at  Cleveland  was  first  conceived  by  Mr.  Peixotto, 
and  his  influence  secured  the  passage  of  a  bill 
which  led  to  its  foundation.  Mr.  Peixotto  went 
back  to    his    native     city    in    1866,     but    sailed    for 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  269 

California  in  1867,  and  took  up  his  residence  in 
San  Francisco,  where  he  obtained  a  lucrative  prac- 
tice as  a  lawyer.  This  profession,  while  it  demanded 
considerable  of  his  time,  did  not  check  his  zealous 
labors  in  behalf  of  his  co-religionists. 

Thus,  in  June,  1 870,  when  the  news  of  a  fright- 
ful massacre  of  Jews  in  Roumania,  followed  by  dire 
persecutions,  was  cabled  across  the  Atlantic,  Benja- 
min Franklin  Peixotto,  just  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
in  the  enjoyment  of  ease,  stood  up  a  champion,  and 
offered  to  go  to  the  benighted  province  of  Turkey 
in  Europe,  in  the  double  capacity  of  representative 
of  the  United  States,  and  messenger  of  happy  tidings 
to  his  helpless  brethren.  He  was  nominated  as  Con- 
sul by  President  Grant,  and  unanimously  confirmed 
by  the  Senate.  The  new  official  departed  at  once 
on  his  noble  mission.  Arriving  at  the  Court  of 
Prince  Charles,  of  Roumania,  he  succeeded  in  allay- 
ing the  sore  distress  under  which  his  fellow-believers 
groaned.  For  over  five  years  Mr.  Peixotto  remained 
at  Bucharest,  to  avert  oppression,  which  his  absence 
would  have  encouraged.  While  there  he  effected 
a  vast  amount  of  good  for  the  down-trodden;  im- 
proving their  moral  condition,  by  the  formation  of 
associations  of  various  natures,  notably  the  Socie- 
ty styled  "  Zion,"  founded  in  1872,  with  objects 
similar    to   the   B'nai  BWith   of  this  country. 

Mr.   Peixotto   returned   to   the  United   States   in 


270  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

1876,  leaving  the  Consulate  in  charge  of  Dr. 
Adolph  Stern,  who  had  rilled  the  office  of  Vice- 
Consul,  and  given  useful  assistance  to  his  princi- 
pal. The  honored  Israelite  was  cordially  received 
everywhere.  The  services  he  had  rendered  formed 
the  topic  of  general  conversation.  Mr.  Peixotto 
was  requested  to  lecture  in  different  parts  of  the 
Union.  He  addressed  large  assemblages,  and  ex- 
erted himself  to  promote  the  educational  scheme 
started  in  the  West.  To  further  the  designs  of 
the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations,  he 
made  appeals  wherever  he  set  foot,  and  soon 
twelve  thousand  dollars  were  subscribed,  mainly 
through   his   individual   efforts. 

Mr.  Peixotto  took  part  in  the  Presidential  cam- 
paign of  1876,  ardently  supporting  Mr.  Hayes. 
In  1877  he  was  tendered  the  appointment  of 
Consul-General  at  St.  Petersburg,  Russia,  which  he 
declined.  President  Hayes  subsequently  nominated 
him  as  Consul  at  Lyons,  France,  and  the  Senate 
confirmed  the  selection.  This  position  he  accepted, 
and    he   now   fills. 

Besides  being  Honorary  President  of  the  Soci- 
ety "  Zion "  of  Roumania,  Mr.  Peixotto  is  con- 
nected with  the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  the 
Anglo-Jewish  Association,  the  Union  of  American 
Hebrew  Congregations,  and  other  influential  bodies. 
His   eldest    son,    George,   a    student   of    the   Royal 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2*]\ 

Academy   of  Dresden,   gives   extraordinary   promise 
of  genius   as   an    artist. 

The  labors  of  Benjamin  Franklin  Peixotto  in 
Roumania  have  not  proved  ineffectual.  The  recent 
determination  of  the  Congress  of  European  Powers, 
with  regard  to  religious  emancipation,  is  an  evi- 
dence of  that  fact,  and  it  should  call  forth  un- 
feigned admiration  for  one  who,  by  indomitable 
energy  and  perseverance,  accomplished  a  glorious 
purpose. 

EMILE   PEREIRE. 

Of  eminent  Jewish  families,  that  of  Pereire  com- 
mends itself  to  special  notice.  In  the  eighteenth 
century,  Jacob  Rodriguez  Pereire,  (or  Pereira),  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  established  a 
school  for  the  training  of  deaf  mutes.  This  system 
had  never  before  been  put  into  operation,  hence  to 
M.  Pereire  we  are  indebted  for  its  practical  applica- 
tion. All  are  fully  aware  of  its  utility,  and  the  ben- 
efits reaped  therefrom.  But  it  is  of  the  French 
banker  and  politician,  Emile  Pereire,  that  a  faint 
portraiture  is  about  to  be  drawn. 

Emile  Pereire  was  born  at  Bordeaux,  France,  on 
December  3d,  1800.  When  still  young  he  lost  his 
father,  but  under  the  guidance  of  an  enlightened 
mother,  both  he  and  his  younger  brother,  Isaac,  re- 


272  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ceived  a  suitable  education,  and  soon  learnt  to  un- 
derstand how  greatly  success  depends  upon  one's 
exertions. 

For  a  number  of  years,  Emile  Pereire  was  an 
ardent  supporter  of  the  principles  of  Saint-Simon, 
who  believed  in  the  equal  distribution  of  property 
among  all  classes,  as  a  preventive  of  the  evils  result- 
ing from  insurrection  and  revolution.  M.  Pereire 
early  began  to  identify  himself  with  financial  affairs, 
and  contributed  articles  to  the  Globe,  and  then  to 
the  National,  with  which  M.  Armand  Carrel  was 
connected.  He  conceived  the  project  of  attempt- 
ing a  railway  to  St.  Germain,  but  three  years 
elapsed  before  he  and  his  brother  could  bring 
together  the  amount  requisite  for  the  building  of 
the  road.  With  the  consummation  of  this  exten- 
sive undertaking  their  reputation  and  fortune  in- 
creased, so  that  they  were  able  to  engage  in  still 
more  important  works.  Both  Emile  and  Isaac 
soon  figured  among  the  most  prominent  of  Parisian 
bankers.  They  took  active  part  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Northern  Railway,  the  Southern  Rail- 
way,  and  the   Lateral   Canal. 

The  huge  financial  scheme  devised  by  the 
Messrs.  Pereire  is  known  as  the  Credit  Mobilier. 
It  was  set  on  foot  in  1852,  with  a  capital  of 
sixty  million  francs.  Over  twelve  hundred  millions 
of  francs  were  loaned  to   the  French  railways,   and 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  273 

the  Credit  Mobilier,  intermixing  with  other  colossal 
operations,  exercised  an  exceedingly  powerful  in- 
fluence   upon   European    industry. 

M.  Emile  Pereire  gave  his  aid  to  the  promo- 
tion of  literature,  science,  and  the  arts.  He  was 
instrumental  in  obtaining  a  posthumous  exhibition 
of  the  works  of  Paul  Delaroche,  at  the  Palais 
des  Beaux  Arts,  in  1856.  His  lofty  position  in 
the  commercial  world  made  him  the  recipient  of 
decorations  from  the  French  Government,  and,  as 
its  candidate,  he  was  chosen  to  the  Corps  Legis- 
latif,  in  1863.  M.  Pereire  declined  a  re-election 
to  that  body,  in  1869.  He  died  at  Paris,  France, 
on   January   7th,    1875. 

The  events  of  the  life  of  Isaac  Pereire,  as 
late  as  the  year  1875,  are  so  much  interwoven 
with  those  of  his  brother's,  that  it  is  deemed  a 
needless  repetition  to  offer  a  separate  account. 
Suffice,  that  both  afford  striking  examples  of  what 
can  be  wrought  by  diligence,  associated  with 
sagacity   and   broad   views. 


LUDWIG   PHILIPPSON. 

The  loss  of  any  of  the  faculties  graciously  be- 
stowed on  man  by  the  Creator  is  greatly  to  be  de- 
plored.     How    inexpressibly   lamentable   to   remain 


274  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

with  "  eyes  that  roll  in  vain  to  find  the  piercing  ray, 
and  find  no  dawn ; "  with  eyes  wont  to  search  the 
depths  of  learning,  but  wherein  the  "  sovereign 
vital  lamp  "  has  been  forever  quenched.  All  honor 
then,  and  all  praise  to  him  who,  so  afflicted,  still 
bids  his  energies  not  relax,  and  who  works  on  vig- 
orously. Such  a  one  is  Ludwig  Philippson.  He 
has  been  assigned  a  pre-eminent  station  in  the  Jew- 
ish literature  of  our  time.  His  valued  labors,  par- 
ticularly in  the  department  of  Biblical  exegesis,  give 
him  a  fame  which  extends  far  beyond  the  city  of 
his  birth,  and  the  country  in  whose  language  his 
thoughts  have  found  expression. 

Dr.  Ludwig  Philippson  was  born  at  Dessau,  Ger- 
many, December  27th,  181 1.  He  frequented  a 
school  in  his  native  place,  and  made  noticeable  pro- 
gress. Thence  he  passed  to  the  Gymnasium  at 
Halle,  continuing  his  studies  with  unabated  earn- 
estness. At  Berlin,  for  four  years,  philology  en- 
grossed the  attention  of  the  student.  In  1833  his 
course  was  completed,  and  our  graduate  made  his 
literary  bow  to  the  public. 

In  the  fall  of  1833,  the  Jewish  Congregation  in 
Magdeburg  selected  Dr.  Philippson  as  their  preacher. 
This  office  he  filled  until  1862,  adding  to  its  pres- 
tige by  being  titled  Rabbi  in  1840.  The  unhappy 
circumstance  of  having  been  deprived  of  his  sight 
compelled  the   relinquishment  of  an  honorable  posi- 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2J^ 

tion.  The  Doctor  has  since  lived  on  a  pension  at 
Bonn.  But  the  physical  privation  did  not  disable 
the  mind.  The  scholar  determined  to  maintain  his 
activity,  and  strained  every  nerve  to  follow  in  the 
line  he  had  marked  out.  He  has,  indeed,  fulfilled 
his  intentions. 

From  1837,  Dr.  Philippson's  paper,  Die  Allge- 
meine  Zeitung  des  Judenthums,  has  appeared  regu- 
larly. It  is  very  ably  edited  as  an  exponent  of  the 
principles  of  Reform  Judaism,  to  which  the  Doctor 
became  attached.  For  several  years  a  supplement 
called  Das  Jiidische  Volksblatt,  was  added.  While 
yet  a  student,  Philippson  published,  in  a  German 
translation,  the  fragments  of  the  tragic  poet,  Eze- 
chielos,  and  of  Philo  of  Biblos — 1830.  He  has  also 
brought  out  a  biography  of  Benedict  Spinoza,  in 
which  he  endeavors  to  defend  the  character  and  ac- 
tions of  the  Dutch  philosopher  from  the  censure  of 
his  antagonists.  As  a  contributor  to  the  Jenaer 
Literatur  Zeitung,  and  other  publications,  our  au- 
thor acquired  a  wide  reputation  for  classical  knowl- 
edge, principally   in  the  writings  of  Aristotle. 

Dr.  Philippson  issued  his  lectures  on  the  develop- 
ment of  the  religious  idea  in  society,  and  later,  con- 
cerning the  results  of  Universal  history — 1847-8. 
Perhaps  his  most  important  work  is  a  German  ren- 
dition of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  with  illustrations 
and  a  commentary,  together   with   notes,  and    upon 


276  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

which  he  labored  from  1839-53.  It  has  been  as- 
serted that  extreme  opinions  are  occasionally  set 
forth  in  this  production,  and  that  some  of  the  in- 
terpretations are  more  ingenious  than  accurate. 
Among  other  writings  we  may  mention  "Jewish 
Religious  Instruction,"  "  World-Moving  Questions," 
"  Rome  and  Sepphoris,"  in  two  volumes ;  "  Jacob 
Tirado,"  "The  Ego,"  "The  Dethroned  One,"  and 
several  catechisms,  school-books,  and  song  and 
prayer-books. 

The  Doctor  founded,  in  1855,  the  institute  for 
advancing  Jewish  literature,  which  existed  until 
1874,  and  which  published  an  excellent  series  of  the 
compositions  of  Jewish  authors,  including  some  of 
the  above-named  emanations  of  its  founder.  Other 
organizations  for  the  spread  of  Hebrew  learning 
have  been  likewise  conceived  and  established  by 
him. 

Dr.  Philippson's  success  as  a  preacher  was  evi- 
denced in  the  impression  which  his  utterances  crea- 
ted, by  an  eloquence  that  appealed  to  the  heart. 
When  incapacitated  from  discharging  ministerial 
duties,  the  indefatigable  divine  sought  another  chan- 
nel to  convey  the  yieldings  of  his  mental  investiga- 
tions to  the  community. 

In  the  columns  of  his  journal,  the  Doctor  urged 
the  calling  of  the  conventions  that  were  severally 
held     at     Brunswick,     Frankfort-on-the-Main,     and 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  2JJ 

subsequently  at  Cassel,  Leipsic,  and  Augsburg.  His 
aim  was  to  promulgate  Reform  doctrines,  and  to 
promote  a  discussion  of  ritualistic  questions.  The 
High  School  for  the  knowledge  of  Judaism  at  Berlin, 
a  Reform  Seminary,  owes  its  origin  mainly  to  Dr. 
Philippson. 

Whatever  ideas  persons  may  prefer  touching  the 
Law  and  precepts,  the  thanks  and  respect  of  multi- 
tudes are  highly  due  to  him  who  has  braved  a  se- 
rious difficulty,  and  who,  with  exceeding  endurance, 
works    in   obedience    to  his   nature   and  convictions. 


BENJAMIN  SAMUEL  PHILLIPS. 

Respect  for  the  ancestral  belief  is  one  of  the  main 
features  characterizing  the  Israelites  of  Great  Britain. 
Wealth  or  talents  have  not  been  allowed  to  dampen 
their  religious  ardor.  A  pardonable  pride  it  is  for 
our  co-religionists  of  the  United  Kingdom  to  point  to 
Sir  B.  S.  Phillips,  the  second  of  their  number  to  have 
become  Lord  Mayor  of  London.  Great  he  is  among 
men,  but  humble  before  his  God ;  courted  by  the 
nobles  of  the  land,  but  mixing  with  his  fellow-be- 
lievers in  Congregational  and  charitable  objects. 

Sir  Benjamin  Samuel  Phillips  was  born  at  London, 
England,  on  January  4th,  181 1.  He  early  engaged 
in  commercial  pursuits,  displaying,  at  the  same  time, 
warm  interest  in  politics.     But,  despite  a  pronounced 


278  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

inclination  to  make  himself  felt  in  matters  of  impor- 
tance to  every  Englishman,  no  chance  was  open  to 
carry  out  that  wish.  Jews,  at  that  period,  were  not 
permitted  to  take  any  part  in  the  administration  of 
public  affairs,  The  first  Hebrew  who  held  muni- 
cipal office  in  Great  Britain  was  Mr.  Phineas  Levi, 
and  Mr.  Phillips  the  first  who  served  as  a  Common 
Councilman  of  London. 

Mr.  Phillips  was  chosen  an  Alderman  of  his 
native  city  in  1857,  and  so  faithfully  did  he  perform 
his  obligations  that  the  people  elected  him  Sheriff, 
a  post  which  he  filled  in  1859-60.  The  opponents 
of  Jewish  rights  soon  perceived  that  a  Hebrew  could 
discharge  the  duties  of  an  office  as  capably  as  a  Gentile. 
But  prejudice  dies  hard.  Though  the  bearing  of  the 
incumbent  of  the  Sheriffalty  brought  home  to  the 
minds  of  many  the  conviction  that  they  had  long 
been  in  error,  yet  there  remained  a  large  number  who 
could  not  overcome  religious  bias.  The  only  way  to 
disarm  opposition  was  to  exercise  abilities  with  re- 
markable tact  and  discretion. 

Mr.  Phillips'  popularity  increased  to  such  a  de- 
gree, that,  on  September  29th,  1865,  he  was  made 
Lord  Mayor  of  London.  In  deference  to  his  strict 
conformity  to  Jewish  observances,  the  outgoing  Chief 
Magistrate  postponed  the  usual  festivities,  from  the 
29th  of  September,  which  fell  on  the  eve  of  the  Day 
of  Atonement,  to  the  3d  of  October, — another  clear 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  279 

proof  that  those  who  are  staunch  in  their  faith,  will  , 
ever  secure  the  consideration  of  the  intelligent. 

During  Mr.  Phillips'  Mayoralty,  he  had  the  honor 
of  entertaining  the  King  of  Belgium  at  a  grand 
banquet.  The  royal  appreciation  was  shown  by 
decorating  the  Lord  Mayor  with  the  Order  of  Leo- 
pold. But  Mr.  Phillips  won  a  nobler  title  to  admira- 
tion, when,  in  1866,  he  devised  means  to  relieve  the 
distress  caused  by  the  visitation  of  the  cholera,  and 
the  famine  in  India.  These  measures  added  to  his 
well-earned  reputation,  and  when,  on  December  28th, 
1866,  Queen  Victoria  knighted  her  officer,  she  ex- 
pressed what  the  whole  nation  felt. 

Sir  Benjamin,  since  the  close  of  his  term  as  Lord 
Mayor,  has  been  Deputy  Lieutenant  for  Middlesex, 
and  a  magistrate  for  the  county  of  Kent. 

Not  a  little  of  the  credit  due  to  this  exalted 
Israelite  belonged  to  his  estimable  wife,  who  died 
on  February  1st,  1880.  Her  courteous  demeanor 
and  engaging  address,  especially  as  Lady  Mayoress, 
endeared  her   to   the  people   of  London. 

SIMCHA   PINSKER. 

Numerous  and  interesting  investigations  have  been 
made  into  the  character  of  the  sect  known  as 
Karaites.  But  each  writer  or  traveller  has  given  his 
impressions   a   coloring  which    reflects    his   personal 


280  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

preferences.  It  is  therefore  not  surprising,  to  read 
in  one  instance  extravagant  praises,  and  in  another 
a  sad  description  of  the  habits  and  intellectual 
standing  of  the  schismatic  members  of  the  Hebrew 
race,  mostly  dwelling  in  the  Crimea.  A  learned 
Galician  studied  deeply  to  arrive  at  a  conscientious 
conclusion  of  what  is  due  to  those  who,  in  the  Ninth 
century,  separated  from  their  fellow-believers, — the 
adherents  of  oral  traditions.  Men  whose  judgment 
can  be  relied  on  have  declared  that  Simcha  Pinsker's 
contributions  to  literature  are  of  a  value  that  can 
scarce  be  estimated.  Some  remarks  about  their 
author,  as  well  as  to  what  they  comprise,  may  be 
of  interest  to  the  reader. 

Simcha  Pinsker  was  born  at  Tarnopol,  in  Galicia, 
Austria,  in  1801.  In  his  young  days,  the  seeming 
religious  fervor  of  the  Hassidim  drew  the  enthusiastic 
student  to  their  fold.  But  the  learning  our  youth 
had  obtained,  combined  with  his  natural  good  sense, 
could  not  allow  the  opponents  of  enlightenment  to 
rule  his  discerning  mind.  It  must,  however,  be  ad- 
mitted that  Pinsker's  susceptibility  to  momentary 
impressions  occasionally  warped  his  judgment.  Thus, 
for  example,  he  at  one  time  gave  himself  up  to  com- 
mercial speculations,  which  proved  ruinous,  without 
heeding  his  aptitude  for  an  entirely  different  career. 
Reduced  to  straitened  circumstances,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  accept  the  humble  post  of  Rabbinical  Secre- 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  28 1 

tary  in  Odessa.  He  had,  probably,  gone  to  that  flour- 
ishing city  in  the  hope  of  retrieving  his  decayed  for- 
tune. He  did  not  find  what  he  wished,  but  literature 
gained  through  his  humble  condition. 

Education  among  the  Jews  of  Odessa  demanded 
a  wholesome  reform.  Simcha  Pinsker  conceived  the 
thought  of  establishing  schools  for  elementary  instruc- 
tion, and  communicated  it  to  a  cultured  friend,  Isaac 
Horowitz,  a  native  of  Brody.  This  gave  the  idea 
every  encouragement,  and  the  two  young  men  con- 
ferred with  several  influential  persons,  through  whose 
instrumentality  arrangements  were  made  with  the 
congregation  and  the  government,  for  practically 
carrying  out  the  object.  Pinsker,  as  chief  instructor 
in  the  newly-founded  school,  effectively  labored  until 
1840.  In  that  year  he  received  a  pension  for  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  and  betook  himself  to  Vienna. 

Before  we  proceed,  it  must  be  stated  that  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  had  become  known  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  institution  he  established  and  fostered. 
Abraham  Firkowitch,  an  active  and  erudite  Karaite, 
unearthed  in  the  Crimea,  in  1839,  some  curious  and 
unknown  manuscripts.  Among  these  was  a  code 
of  the  later  prophets,  which,  like  several  fragments 
of  the  Pentateuch,  with  the  prophetical  lessons  for 
the  Sabbath,  and  the  Aramaic  or  Syriac  translation, 
had  a  singular  punctuation — the  vowel-points  and 
singing-accents  deviating  in  form  and  position  from 


282  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

such  as  are  mainly  in  use.  Those  writings  he  pre- 
sented to  the  Odessa  Society  for  history  and  anti- 
quities. Devotion  to  the  cause  of  learning  was  seen, 
when,  defying  all  difficulties,  Pinsker  found  out,  by 
dint  of  restless  study,  the  method  of  deciphering  the 
newly-discovered  system  of  punctuation,  and  revealed 
it  to  the  delight  of  scholars.  His  researches  in  biblio- 
graphy, biography,  and  literary  history  were  in- 
exhaustible. 

In  order  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  contents 
of  each  of  the  manuscripts  brought  out  by  Firko- 
witch,  Pinsker  learned  the  Arabic  language — a  task 
not  easily  accomplished  in  a  Russian  town  like  Odessa. 
But  the  results  of  unwearied  labors  remained  hidden 
from  the  world.  Pinsker,  in  his  genuine  modesty, 
believed  that  what  he  had  acquired  was  not  worth  the 
attention  of  literary  men.  Fortunately  Osias  H.  Schorr, 
the  eminent  editor  of  He- Chains,  knew  better. 
He  applied  to  the  retiring  scholar  for  contributions 
to  his  publication.  Pinsker  complied,  and  at  first 
gave  an  account  of  the  labors  of  two  Karaites,  Mose 
Darai  and  Radba  (David  ben-Abraham),  natives  of 
Fez,  who  lived  during  the  Middle  Ages,  and  enjoyed 
a  wide  reputation.  The  articles  swelled  in  size  until 
they  formed  a  bulky  volume,  issued  afterwards  under 
the  name,  Likkute  Kadtnoniyoth,  (Collections  from 
the  Days  of  Old),  and  likewise  under  the  title  "  The 
History   of   Karaism   and   the    Karaite    Literature." 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  283 

.  The  author  describes  the  periods  of  the  development 
of  the  Karaitic  doctrines  and  views ;  one  preceding 
Anan,  the  founder  of  the  sect ;  another  of  that  man's 
own  time  ;  a  third  of  the  reformer,  Nohawendi ;  and 
last,  the  Karaites  proper.  According  to  him,  the 
latest  period  occasioned  the  final  breach  concerning 
Talmudic  traditions.  The  Karaites,  anxious  to  in- 
crease their  number,  sent  messengers  to  Jewish  con- 
gregations, to  stir  up  the  people  to  join  their  ranks. 
Our  author  sees  the  derivation  of  "  Karaite"  in  the 
Hebrew  Kara,  (to  call),  alluding  to  the  summon- 
ing of  the  Jews  in  various  communities  to  declare 
themselves  in  favor  of  the  new  sect.  Pinsker,  more- 
over, holds  that  to  those  schismatics  all  are  indebted 
for  a  reliable  system  of  Biblical  orthography,  grammar, 
lexicography,  and  modern  Hebrew  poetry.  They, 
he  contends,  wrote  on  those  subjects,  even  before 
Saadiah  Gaon  and  Dunash  ben-Labrat  had  brought 
forth  their  works. 

Important  Karaite  writings  are  quoted  and  dwelt 
upon,  among  which  are  the  Lexicon  by  Radba  and 
the  Divan  by  Mose  Darai ;  the  Ninth  century  being 
given  as  the  time  when  the  last-named  lived.  Gabirol, 
Moses  and  Abraham  Aben-Ezra,  and  Jehudah  Halevy, 
are  said  to  have  had  in  Darai  a  model,  from  whom 
they  copied  tropes  and  even  strophes. 

The  Likkute  met  with  a  reception  most  flatter- 
ing  to  its  accomplished  author.     Pinsker   awoke   to 


284  '     EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

find  himself  famous,  and  deservedly  so,  for  very  rich, 
and  rare,  and  honestly  wrought  out  was  the  informa- 
tion afforded.  His  production  had  not  yet  been 
fully  published,  when  Jost  and  Graetz,  the  acknowl- 
edged representatives  of  Jewish  history,  and  Dr. 
Schmiedl,  the  noted  scholar,  publicly  avowed  their 
indebtedness  to  him. 

In  1863  Pinsker  published  at  Vienna  his  Mebb  ha- 
Nikkud,  an  explanation  of  the  system  of  punctua- 
tion, according  to  the  Babylonian  school.  This  work 
critically  describes  the  progress  of  a  branch  of  Hebrew 
literature,  most  essential  and  still  insufficiently  culti- 
vated. Pinsker's  researches  into  the  origin  and  devel- 
opment of  the  vowel-points  and  singing-accents  prove 
him  a  born  grammarian.  In  fact,  he  fondly  cherished 
the  idea  of  issuing  a  Hebrew  grammar — a  beautiful 
resume  of  his  profound  investigations.  Unfortunately, 
his  health  was  not  equal  to  his  will.  He  vainly 
tried  to  grapple  with  the  destroyer.  The  great 
scholar  succumbed  on  the  29th  of  October,  1864. 

Pinsker  left  a  large  number  of  manuscripts,  bear- 
ing on  the  writings  of  ancient  authors,  alike  of  the 
Karaites  and  the  Rabbinists.  The  publication  of 
these  would,  undoubtedly,  be  greeted  by  all  who  de- 
sire to  know  what  was  done  in  olden  times  in  the 
realm  of  exegesis. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  285 

ELISABETH    RACHEL   (FELIX). 

The  pulpit  has  had,  of  late,  its  fling  at  the 
stage.  That  a  change  for  the  better  in  public 
representations  is  necessary,  few  will  doubt.  But 
the  views  of  some  are  too  sweeping.  The  entire  closing 
of  places  of  amusement  as  unmitigated  evils,  is 
not  the  proper  remedy.  It  would  be  like  uproot- 
ing the  tree,  on  account  of  the  rottenness  of  one 
of  its  branches.  For  it  must  be  conceded  that 
the  theatre,  notwithstanding  its  faults,  has  a  ten- 
dency, in  many  instances,  to  improve  morals.  Re- 
fined amusement  and  instruction  are  often  afforded 
at  the  same  time.  Nor  are  all  professional  actors 
and  actresses  wanting  in  respectability  and  honor. 
In  the  pursuit  of  their  avocation,  they  are  occasional- 
ly compelled  to  meet  with  persons  of  ordin- 
ary character.  But  it  does  not  follow  that  they 
must  become  tainted  by  the  contact.  These  hints 
are  not  intended  to  forestall  an  opinion.  The 
prominence  of  Rachel  as  a  tragedienne  suggested 
them. 

Elisabeth  Rachel  (Felix)  was  born,  of  humble 
parentage,  at  Mumpf,  Switzerland,  February  28th, 
1820.  So  needy  was  the  family  that  she,  and 
her  sister,  Sarah,  roamed  about  the  streets  of 
.Lyons,  France,  whither  the  household  had  removed, 
singing    to    earn    a    coin. 


286  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

In  1 83 1  Rachel  went  to  Paris,  and,  to  culti- 
vate her  voice,  took  lessons  from  an  eminent 
teacher.  But  her  success  by  no  means  equalled 
anticipations.  Neither  did  her  debut  on  the  stage, 
in  1833,  prove  a  triumph,  though  her  talents 
had  been  previously  tested  by  well-known  critics, 
such   as   Jules   Janin,   and    Mademoiselle  Mars. 

Undaunted  by  the  first  failure,  Rachel  contin- 
ued steadfast  to  her  adopted  profession,  and  pub- 
lic admiration  soon  began  to  clearly  manifest  itself. 
When  she  appeared,  in  1838,  as  Camille,  in  the 
tragedy  of  Les  Horaces,  the  enthusiasm  became 
intense.  From  this  time  forward,  her  histrionic 
powers  were  warmly  applauded  and  encouraged. 
In  many  characters  she  stood  almost  without  a 
rival,  but  her  greatest  triumphs  were  achieved  in  her 
rendition  of  Phedrc,  and  of  Adrienne  Lecouvreur — a 
play  expressly  written  for  her.  "  Her  Phedre" 
observes  a  writer, — "  by  common  consent  her  mas- 
terpiece— was  an  apocalypse  of  human  agony,  not 
to  be  forgotten  by  any  one  who  ever  witnessed 
it."  Rachel's  acting,  in  general,  left  an  impres- 
sion that  probably  none  of  her  sex,  who  preceded 
or   succeeded   her,   have   created. 

During  the  Revolution  of  1848,  she  publicly 
recited  the  Marseillaise  Hymn,  and  the  furor  it 
excited  has  connected  her  name  with  the  history 
of    that    stormy    period.      Rachel    visited    different 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  287 

parts  of  Europe  and  America,  and  was  tendered 
everywhere   public   ovations. 

In  1855  her  health  began  to  fail,  and  she 
sought  several  places  for  rest  and  renewed  vigor. 
But  all  in  vain.  Her  constitution  was  completely 
broken  down,  and  on  January  3d,  1858,  death 
relieved  her  of  further  suffering,  at  Cannet,  near 
Toulon,   in    France. 

Providence  had  lavished  mental  riches  upon 
that  daughter  of  our  race.  Had  she  valued  the 
gifts  as  a  divine  trust,  and  employed  them  always 
in  a  manner  that  might  add  to  the  respect  of 
self  and  of  Israel,  she  would  have  been  glorious, 
as   she   is  eminent. 


MORRIS  JACOB  RAPHALL. 

It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  foreigners  com- 
plain of  the  difficulties  which  the  English  language 
presents,  specially  in  its  orthography,  and  in  the 
application  of  particles  or  terms  most  in  use,  when 
a  large  variety  of  a  like  character  exists.  Pecu- 
liar, therefore,  must  be  the  merits  of  one  who, 
not  "to  the  manner  born,"  can  overcome  imped- 
iments in  speaking,  and  write  with  fluency  and 
unexceptional  purity.  Of  the  foreign  Rabbis  who 
have  ascended  American  pulpits,  the  late  Dr. 
Raphall   employed    the   language     in   which    Shaks- 


288  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

peare  wove  his  thoughts,  with  unsurpassed  per- 
fection. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Morris  Jacob  Raphall  was  born  at 
Stockholm,  Sweden,  in  September,  1798.  When 
a  mere  child,  his  parents  sent  him  to  a  Jewish 
college  in  Copenhagen,  which  conferred  upon  the 
student,  as  early  as  his  thirteenth  year,  the  degree 
of  Hab'ery  or  Socius.  In  181 2  he  went  to  England, 
and  studied  the  language  of  the  country  and  its 
literature,  with  splendid  results.  Having  made  a 
tour  through  France,  Germany,  Switzerland,  and 
Italy,  Raphall  sought  a  German  university  as  the 
spot  whence  to  rise  higher  in  knowledge.  From 
1 82 1  to  1824  he  remained  at  Giessen,  and  re- 
turned to  England  in  1825,  where  he  was  mar- 
ried,  and    took    up   his    abode. 

Dr.  Raphall  entered  public  life  in  1832.  The 
course  of  lectures  he  delivered  on  Post  Biblical 
history,  at  Sussex-hall,  in  London,  and  elsewhere 
through  the  United  Kingdom,  was  a  triumph  to 
the  scholar.  For  he  saw  the  most  intelligent  among 
Christians,  as  well  as  among  Jews,  attentive  listeners. 
The  publication  of  the  Hebrew  Review  and  Mag- 
azine of  Rabbinical  Literature,  a  weekly  periodical 
devoted  to  Jewish  learning,  began  in  1834.  It 
was  ably  edited,  but  after  seventy-eight  numbers, 
full  of  instructive  and  interesting  articles,  had  ap- 
peared,   it    was   suspended,    partly   because    of    the 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  289 

editor's  impaired  health,  and  partly  for  want  of 
proper  support.  An  idea  of  the  value  of  that 
magazine  may  be  formed,  when  it  is  known  that 
it  contained  translations  of  several  of  Maimonides' 
works ;  Sepher  Ikkarim,  or  "  Book  of  Creeds,"  by 
Rabbi  Joseph  Albo  ;  and  Yen  Lebanon,  which  treats 
of  ethics,  by  the  celebrated  Rabbi  Naphtali  Herz 
Wessely ;  besides  original  writings  on  the  "  Cus- 
toms and  Observances  of  the  Jews ; "  biographies, 
and  poems  of  merit.  Dr.  Raphall  worked  on  a 
translation  of  eighteen  treatises  of  the  "  Mishna," 
published  jointly  with  the  Rev.  David  A.  De  Sola; 
and  a  very  learned  exposition  in  English  of  the 
Book  of  Genesis,  in  conjunction  with  Messrs.  De 
Sola   and    I.    L.    Lindenthal. 

The  Doctor  acted  for  a  time  as  Secretary  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Solomon  Hirschel,  Chief  Rabbi  of  the  Ger- 
man Congregations  of  the  British  Isles.  But  in  1841 
his  labors  were  asked  for  at  Birmingham,  where  he 
was  elected  Rabbi-Preacher  of  the  Synagogue.  His 
zealous  efforts  for  the  promotion  of  education  and 
beneficence,  during  eight  consecutive  years,  were 
not  forgotten  by  the  grateful  inhabitants,  For  in 
1849,  when  about  to  leave  for  the  United  States,  a 
purse  of  one  hundred  sovereigns  was  presented  to 
him  by  the  Mayor  and  corporation  of  Birmingham, 
in  acknowledgment  of  the  many  services  he  had 
rendered.     The  University  of  Giessen,  fully  aware  of 


290  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

his  scholarly  abilities,  had  attached  to  his  name  the 
titles  of  M.  A.,  and  Ph.  D. 

The  learned  Doctor  received  a  cordial  greeting 
on  arriving  at  New  York,  and  he  was  installed  as 
the  spiritual  guide  of  the  congregation  B'nai  jFeshu- 
run,  then  worshiping  in  Greene  Street.  He  remained 
in  that  office  until  his  death.  During  his  ministry, 
the  new  Synagogue  of  the  congregation  in  Thirty- 
fourth  Street,  was  dedicated.  Dr.  Raphall, — assisted 
by  the  Rev.'  Ansel  Leo,  the  popular  Reader,  who 
died  in  December,  1878, — pronounced  one  of  his  dis- 
courses, always  so  eloquent  and  impressive. 

A  very  short  time  elapsed  ere  the  subject  of 
our  sketch  gained  a  wide-spread  reputation  through- 
out America.  The  acquirements  which  he  eminently 
possessed,  brought  his  name  into  connection  with 
all  matters  of  a  public  character.  Many  Philadel- 
phians  will  remember  his  comely  and  venerable  ap- 
pearance, at  the  annual  banquets  given  by  the 
Hebrew  Charity  Association.  Seated  by  the  side  ot 
well-known  divines  and  scholars,  he  electrified  his 
auditors  by  a  display  of  oratorical  powers  of  the 
highest  order. 

In  the  year  1855  Dr.  Raphall  offered  the  wo/ld 
a  work  in  two  volumes,  entitled  "Post-Biblical  His- 
tory of  the  Jews,"  from  the  return  to  Palestine  of  the 
Babylonian  captives,  to  the  conquest  of  Jerusalem  by 
Titus.     It  is  a  production  that  cannot  be  overrated ; 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  29 1 

for  it  at  once  exhibits  the  author's  profound  know- 
ledge of,  and  his  strict  conformity  to,  truth.  If  Dr. 
Raphall  had  not  written  aught  else,  this  would  have 
been  sufficient  to  immortalize  his  name.  But  his 
indefatigable  efforts  for  Judaism  still  proceeded  un- 
abated. "  Devotional  Exercises  for  the  Daughters 
of  Israel,"  compiled  and  enlarged  from  several  Ger- 
man writers,  soon  appeared,  and  it  was  followed  by 
"The  Path  to  Immortality,"  etc.,  etc.  Before  his 
demise,  the  Doctor  had  made  considerable  progress 
in  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures  with  annotations. 

A  long  life  of  usefulness  was  brought  to  a  close 
on  the  23d  of  June,  1868.  The  loss  was  serious  to 
the  House  of  Israel,  and  to  the  cause  of  learning 
generally,  and  dust  was  consigned  to  dust,  with 
every  demonstration  of  sorrow  by  Jews  and  Gentiles. 

SALOMON  LOEW  RAPOPORT. 

A  practice  which  originated  in  the  Middle  Ages 
has  continued  to  our  day.  Jewish  writers  are  made 
known  to  the  world  by  the  initials  of  their  Hebrew 
names.  At  times,  the  word  thus  formed  does  not 
represent  any  idea,  but  often  it  is  fraught  with 
meaning.  That  Rapoport  should  have  chosen  Shir 
as  his  nom  de  plume,  may  be  ascribed  to  the  chance 
that  gave  him  the  appellation  from  which  the  initials 
were  taken.     But  who  that  knows  the  Sage  will  deny 


292  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

the  fitness  of  the  term  ?  A  Song  was  his  life,  in 
praise  of  the  ancient  teachers  of  Israel ;  a  melodious 
chant,  with  which  he  would  win  a  people,  es- 
tranged from  their  sacred  literature,  back  again  to 
its  steady  culture. 

Salomon  Loew  Rapoport  was  born  at  Lemberg, 
in  Galicia,  Austria,  on  the  1st  of  June,  1790.  Reared 
in  the  severe  school  of  Orthodoxy,  which,  at  the 
time,  forbade  research,  he  felt  an  eager  wish  to  break 
asunder  the  fetters  that  bound  the  mind.  It  is  re- 
lated that  he  stealthily  obtained  gratuitous  instruc- 
tion in  French  from  a  military  officer,  and  that  he  had 
made  considerable  progress,  when  his  mother,  hear- 
ing of  the  circumstance,  consigned  all  his  books  in 
that  language  to  the  flames.  This  conclusively  shows 
that  knowledge  was  then  a  terror,  rather  than  a  de- 
light. Study  must  be,  by  force,  confined  to  the  Tal- 
mud, and  works  partaking  of  its  nature.  Rapoport 
was  destined  to  be  the  leader  in  the  effort  to  break 
through  such  restraints,  and  root  out  bigotry  and 
narrow  dogmas. 

The  young  man's  education  was  of  a  two-fold 
character — the  pursuit  of  theology,  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  divers  branches  of  secular  learning.  This 
training  led  to  earnest  reflection  as  to  the  course 
he  should  follow  in  the  future.  Rapoport  determined 
that,  while  remaining  strict  and  firm  to  the  doctrines 
and  ordinances  of  traditional  Judaism,  he  would  do 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  293 

his  utmost  to  improve  the  mental  status  of  his 
fellow-believers.  Upheld  by  that  resolve,  he  en- 
larged the  domain  of  literature,  working  with 
singleness  of  purpose.  None  can  accuse  him  of 
enunciating  notions  subversive  of  accepted  principles, 
in  any  of  the  numerous  writings  that  emanated  from 
his  pen.  His  criticism  had  truth  for  its  aim,  and 
not  notoriety  by  the  declaration  of  startling  opinions ; 
and  if  he  failed  to  please  all,  he  must  have  borne 
the  satisfaction  of  having  clung  to  deep-set  con- 
victions. 

Rapoport  was  first  employed  as  clerk  in  a  public 
office  of  his  native  city ;  but  when  still  a  youth  he 
wrote  in  Hebrew  with  the  facility  of  an  expert.  The 
columns  of  the  two  Hebrew  Annuals,  Bikkure 
Haittim  and  Kerem  Chemed,  were  early  graced  by 
his  contributions,  the  worth  of  which  elicited  the 
plaudits  of  the  discerning. 

The  retirement  of  the  venerable  Joshua  Heshel 
left  a  void  in  the  district  Rabbinate  of  Tarnopol. 
Those  who  appreciated  Rapoport's  qualifications 
urged  him  to  let  his  name  appear  among  the  can- 
didates for  the  vacant  position.  The  Hassidim 
naturally  opposed  the  choice  of  a  man  whose  name 
was  synonymous  with  enlightenment — so  abhorrent 
to  their  souls.  But  the  fanatical  elements  were  over- 
come by  the  liberal  and  intelligent,  thus  securing 
the  election  of  a  scholar  that  any  community  might 


294  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

have  been  proud  to  look  up  to  as  its  ecclesiastical 
chief. 

The  Rabbi  devoted  his  first  leisure  moments  to 
dive  into  philosophy  and  history,  and  to  survey  the 
vast  field  of  Hebrew  literature.  During  the  period 
of  half  a  century,  multifarious  articles  showed  the 
extent  of  wonderful  investigations,  unique  as  they 
were  astonishing, 

Exegetical  analyses  became  trie  sustaining  pillars 
of  Rapoport's  fame.  Various  dissertations  were  pub- 
lished, critically  explaining  Holy  Writ,  and  advancing 
profound  ideas  as  to  the  authenticity  of  certain  books, 
or  portions  thereof,  contained  in  the  Scriptures.  For 
instance,  the  expositor  conceded  that  there  were 
psalms  of  the  Maccabean  period  embodied  in  the 
Psalter,  and  that  the  sections  of  Isaiah,  from  chapter 
XL  to  the  end,  evince  a  later  authorship.  Still  he 
would  not  sanction  any  addition  or  suppression  of  the 
text,  by  reason  of  the  abstract  theories  formed.  We 
may  easily  perceive  that  Rapoport  noticed  peculiari- 
ties in  the  diction  of  the  prophetical  writings  and  the 
Hagiographa,  and  perhaps  the  sentiments  expressed 
therein,  which  created  his  impressions,  but  not  finding 
sufficient  ground  to  establish  his  conceptions  beyond 
peradventure,  and  fearing  to  take  too  bold  a  stand 
against  the  Massora,  he  wisely  abstained  from  assail- 
ing that  which  time  has  hallowed. 

Following    the    path    of   Aaron   the  High-priest, 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  295 

"  loving  peace,  and  cleaving  to  peace,"  the  pastor's  calm 
and  deliberative  addresses  to  his  flock  set  at  rest  oppo- 
sition, and  effected  a  thorough  reconciliation  between 
parties  embittered  towards  each  other,  merely  be- 
cause of  personal  antagonism.  Sincerity,  coupled 
with  sterling  ability,  gained  the  victory  for  Salomon 
Loew  Rapoport,  and  proved  his  guide  in  the  prose- 
cution of  every  design.  In  1840  he  was  chosen 
Chief  Rabbi  of  Prague,  receiving  the  heartiest  con- 
gratulations of  the  learned  throughout  Europe. 

A  cursory  view  will  now  be  taken  of  some  of  the 
most  noted  productions  of  the  honored  literator.  A 
perusal  of  any  will  disclose  the  capacities  of  the  au- 
thor, and  his  scientific  workings  of  the  subject  in  all 
its  bearings,  going  into  the  minutest  details,  with  the 
penetration  and  skill  of  a  master.  Besides  assisting 
in  the  preparation  of  the  Kerem  C kerned,  and  beauti- 
fying it  by  charming  contributions,  anonymous,  or  over 
his  initials,  Rapoport  brought  forth  his  critico-bio- 
graphical  sketches  of  Saadiah  Gaon ;  Rabbi  Nathany 
the  author  of  the  Talmudical  lexicon ;  Hai  Gaon ; 
Eliezer  Kalir ;  Rabbenu  Hananel ;  etc.  These  were 
published  in  the  Bikkure  Haittim,  to  the  edification 
of  many  eager  readers.  A  poem  entitled  Sheerith 
Jehudah,  adapted  from  Racine's  "  Esther,"  with  a 
splendid  preface,  appeared  ;  followed  by  Dibre  Shalom 
Veemetf  a  defence  of  Dr.  Zacharias  Frankel's  Darche 
Ha-Mishna ;  and  fcrech  Millin,  a  linguistic  and  archae- 


296  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

ological  encyclopaedia,  of  which  only  the  first  volume, 
(letter  Aleph)  has  been  issued.  This  work  is  in  itself 
a  most  glowing  illustration  of  the  author's  erudition. 
Continuations  of  it  have  been  found  in  manuscript. 
So  likewise,  fragments  of  a  geographical  collection  as 
a  sequel  to  Ansh'e  Hashem ;  a  criticism  of  Dr.  Abra- 
ham Geiger's  Urschrift)  a  commentary  on  the  Book 
of  Job ;  a  series  of  discourses ;  an  extensive  corres- 
pondence with  contemporary  scholars  ;  and  a  book  of 
genealogies,  which  embraces  important  materials  for 
the  history  of  Jewish  science  in  the  present  century, 
are  among  the  literary  remains  of  the  great  Rabbi. 

Rapoport's  life-mission  closed  at  Prague,  in  Bo- 
hemia, Austria,  on  the   1 6th  of  October,   1867. 

Faithful  to  his  trust  as  a  spiritual  leader,  conscien- 
tious and  indefatigable  as  a  writer,  the  Sage  of  Lem- 
berg  will  be  known  and  revered  while  Hebrew  lit- 
erature has  a  student  and  the  Hebrew  language  a 
lover.  He  has  served  as  a  beacon-light  to  the  mul- 
titude who  have  rendered  this  age  illustrious,  re- 
viving the  palmy  days  of  Spain  and  Portugal  under 
Moorish  dominion. 

1 
ISAAC  SAMUEL  REGGIO. 

As  years  roll  on,  the  amount  of  learning  which 
constitutes  a  scholar  immeasurably  swells  in  size. 
Hence   few   can   boast   of  having   grasped    all    that 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  297 

should  be  retained  on  any  given  subject.  Experi- 
ence has  shown  this  even  in  Hebrew  literature,  which 
is  comparatively  limited  in  extent.  But  Isaac  Sam- 
uel Reggio  brought  under  his  will  the  accumulated 
knowledge  of  contemporaries  and  predecessors,  and 
he  lived  to  see  others  reap  the  rich  harvest  of  his 
toil. 

Isaac  Samuel  Reggio  was  born  at  Gorizia,  in  the 
province  of  Illy ria,  Italy,  on  the  5th  of  August,  1784. 
His  father,  Abraham  V.  Reggio,  Rabbi  of  that  city, 
had  acquired  renown  as  a  theologian.  He  early 
trained  his  son  in  Biblical  and  Talmudical  lore. 
The  question  being  then  agitated  about  the 
introduction  of  reforms  in  the  method  of  instruc- 
tion, men  of  great  calibre — as  Wessely  and  Men- 
delssohn— took  part  in  it  in  favor  of  the  change ; 
others,  again,  bitterly  opposed  it.  The  father  of 
Isaac  took  side  with  the  chief  advocates  of  the  pro- 
posed improvements,  whom  he  represented  to  his 
son  as  ideal-masters,  and  counselled  the  youth  to  fol- 
low in  their  footsteps.  As  young  Reggio  grew  up, 
he  displayed  ardent  zeal  for  religion  and  science, 
and  his  extraordinary  capacities  soon  became  no- 
ticeable. 

When  Illyria  was  annexed  to  the  French  Em- 
pire, Reggio  received  the  appointment  of  Professor 
of  Belles-Lettres,  History  and  Geography,  at  the 
gymnasium   of  his  birth-place.      For  three  years  he 


298  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

rendered  important  services  to  the  institution.  On 
the  decease  of  his  father,  he  held  the  situation  of 
Rabbi  of  Gorizia,  declining  to  accept  any  pecuniary- 
remuneration. 

But  it  was  the  literary  endeavors  of  Prof.  Reggio 
that  made  him  famous.  His  various  productions 
are  of  an  inestimable  character,  and  their  influence 
upon  literature  must  be  conceded.  With  vast  ability 
and  immense  erudition  he  issued  works  explanatory 
of  most  abstruse  subjects,  and,  therefore,  indispensa- 
ble to  Jewish  students.  Reggio  has  written  his 
autobiography,  in  which  he  frequently  alludes  to  the 
many  trials  he  underwent,  and  to  the  aspersions  cast 
on  his  name  and  his  writings.  It  was  necessary  for 
the  author  to  be  ever  watchful,  for  foes  surrounded 
him  on  all  sides. 

Scarcely  had  the  first  of  Reggio's  works,  an  essay 
intended  as  an  introduction  to  his  commentary  on 
the  Pentateuch,  made  its  appearance,  than  an  anony- 
mous writer  publicly  attacked  it,  accusing  the  author 
of  gross  blunders  and  errors.  This  evoked  a  reply 
from  Reggio,  in  which  he  proved  how  wrongly  he 
had  been  dealt  with.  In  181 2  Reggio  gave  us  one 
of  his  most  extensive  productions — an  Italian  trans- 
lation of  the  Five  Books  of  Moses,  with  a  Hebrew 
commentary,  in  five  volumes.  Fifteen  hundred  copies 
were  published  at  his  own  expense,  as  he  himself 
narrates.  No  Jewish  library  can  be  termed  complete 
that  does  not  possess  it. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  299 

The  establishment  of  the  Rabbinical  College  at 
Padua  was  greatly  due  to  Reggio's  exertions.  His 
Hebrew  work,  Ha-Torah  ve  ha-Philosophia,  on  the 
connection  of  Revelation  with  Philosophy,  appeared 
in  1827,  and  it  so  remarkably  disclosed  the  true 
scholar,  that  Reggio  received  numerous  requests  to 
contribute  to  different  magazines.  Many  of  these 
demands  on  his  time  were  complied  with,  and  the 
learned  articles  he  published  won  the  commendation 
of  the  literary  world. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  review,  or  even  to 
name,  all  the  productions  of  this  splendid  Hebraist. 
They  have  been  accorded  their  merited  praise  by 
competent  authorities.  But  allusion  to  some  of  them 
is  in  order,  on  account  of  their  weight  on  Italian- 
Hebrew  literature. 

Reggio  gave  a  version  in  his  native  language  of 
several  difficult  portions  of  the  Bible,  particularly  the 
Book  of  Isaiah.  This  metrical  translation  has  been 
critically  reviewed  by  Dr.  S.  I.  Mulder,  who  added  a 
preface  in  Dutch,  evincing  the  high  esteem  which  he 
entertained  for  the  author.  Bechinath  Ha-Dath  (In- 
vestigation of  the  Law),  by  Elias  del  Medigo,  with  an 
introduction  and  explanatory  notes  was  published. 
Reggio  also  issued,  at  intervals,  Iggeroth  Yashar,  (his 
Literary  Correspondence),  of  which  he  relates  the  fol- 
lowing :  "  I  sent  the  manuscript  of  the  second  part  to 
the   printing  office    at  Vienna,   but  the    stage-coach 


300  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

which  conveyed  it  from  my  place  of  residence  (Gorizia) 
to  the  metropolis,  was  overtaken  in  the  night  by  high- 
waymen, and,  among  other  articles,  this  manuscript 
was  also  stolen.  When  this  was  brought  under  my 
notice,  I  collected  as  much  as  possible  of  the  notes  I 
had  left,  and  from  these  I  succeeded  in  writing  another 
volume,  which  came  from  the  press  at  Vienna,  in  5596 
(1836),  as  a  second  part  of  my  above-mentioned  Cor- 
respondence." An  introduction  to  the  Book  of  Esther 
in  1 84 1,  was  reviewed  by  Dr.  Jost,  in  his  paper,  The 
Israelitish  Annals.  Reggio  wrote  for  the  Zion,  the 
Bikkure  Haittim,  the  Kerem  Cherned,  and  the  Cen- 
tral Organ.  He  also  published  "  A  Guide  for  the 
Religious  Instruction  of  Jewish  Youth,"  which  was 
translated  into  English  by  the  late  M.  H.  Picciotto, 
father  of  the  author  of  "  Sketches  of  Anglo-Jewish 
History;"  and  a  lengthy  correspondence  between 
himself  and  the  famous  Prof.  Samuel  David  Luz- 
zatto,  for  whom  he  prepared  a  genealogical  tree 
of  the  Luzzatto  family. 

Of  Reggio's  other  works  there  are  Bechinath 
Ha-Cabbala,  on  a  writing  of  Leon  de  Modena ; 
"A  View  of  Astronomy";  an  Italian  version  of 
the  Book  of  Joshua,  with  a  Hebrew  preface;  one 
in  the  same  language,  of  the  Lamentations  of 
Jeremiah,  with  an  Italian  preface ;  another  of  the 
Book  of  Ruth  ;  another  of  the  treatise  Aboth  (Ethics 
of  the  Fathers),  with  an  introduction  and  copious  an- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  3OI 

notations ;  an  Italian  translation  of  the  Correspond- 
ence about  Faith,  between  Mendelssohn  and  Lavater ; 
and  another  of  many  Psalms. 

Prof.  Reggio  died  on  the  29th  of  August, 
1855.  His  life  was  spent  in  the  effort  to  prepare 
Israelites  for  the  reception  of  critical  views  on  Bib- 
lical and  Rabbinical  volumes,  and  what  he  said  was 
always  expressed  in  a  style,  at  once  attractive,  and 
almost  unrivalled. 


ROBERT   REMAK. 

Attempts  to  crush  the  Jewish  mind  have  never 
been  attended  with  success.  On  the  contrary,  they 
have  contributed  to  strengthen  its  powers.  In 
Poland,  for  example,  Hebrews  have  been  levelled 
with  the  ground,  and  yet,  in  that  very  same  country, 
and  from  among  the  outcasts  and  the  reviled,  arose 
some  of  the  intellects  that  shaped  modern  science. 
Medicine  and  physiology  have  been  most  ably  re- 
presented. A  notice — for  only  such  can  we  term 
it — of  an  Israelite,  who  has  been  extolled  by  the  far- 
famed  Claude  Bernard  and  Ernst  Haeckel,  will  here 
be  offered.  He  must,  indeed,  be  considered  excellent, 
whom  the  greatest  acknowledged  great. 

Prof.  Robert  Remak,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Posen, 
in  the  Duchy  of  Posen,  Prussian. Poland,  on  July  30th, 
181 5.    He  received  rudimentary  instruction,  and,  from 


302  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

1829  to  1833,  attended  the  Gymnasium,  whence  he 
proceeded  to  the  University  of  Berlin.  He  took 
rapid  strides  in  the  pursuit  of  his  various  studies. 
Medical  work,  however,  drew  forth  the  fulness  of 
his  capacities,  and  Prof.  Reimann,  seeing  it,  foretold 
the  future  reserved  for  the  earnest  student.  ,Remak 
graduated  in  1838.  With  a  deep  consciousness  of 
the  importance  of  the  avocation  chosen,  he  followed 
a  special  course  under  John  Miller  and  Schoenlein, 
till  he  felt  that  the  knowledge  acquired  was  equal 
to  the  demands  of  the  profession.  Then  he  came 
before  the  public. 

In  1847  Dr.  Remak  was  appointed  Privat  Docent. 
In  1 861  he  achieved  his  crowning  triumph  by  being 
elected  Professor  Extraordinary  at  the  University  of 
Berlin.  His  elevation  to  that  office,  through  the 
instrumentality  of  the  immortal  Alexander  Von  Hum- 
boldt might  well  have  been  a  cause  for  glorification, 
at  a  time  when  Jews  were  debarred  from  ascending 
the  ladder  of  fame. 

Both  as  a  practitioner  and  an  author,  Prof.  Remak 
is  renowned  in  the  department  of  medicine  which 
treats  of  the  nerves.  "  His  principal  merits,"  ob- 
serves a  writer,  "  lie  in  his  researches  into  the  more 
delicate  nerve-constructions,  and  into  the  develop- 
ment of  the  vertebrates,  and  in  the  introduction  of 
a  constant  electric  current,  as  a  remedy  for  the 
diseases  of  the  nerve    system."     His   works    include 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  303 

44  Diagnostic  and  Pathogenic  Researches  at  the  Schoen- 
lein  Clinic" — 1845;  "Concerning  an  Independent 
Nerve-System  of  the  Skin"— 1847;  ''Concerning 
the  development  of  Vertebrates" — 1 8 5 1  — ' 5  ;  "Metho- 
dic Electrization  of  Palsied  Muscles" — 1851  ;  and 
"  Galvano-Therapeutics  of  Nerve  and  Muscle  Diseases" 
— 1858, — translated  into  French,  in  i860.  The  Pro- 
fessor also  indited  valuable  articles  for  journals,  and 
he  was,  from  1842,  a  contributor  to  the  Yearly  Reports 
for  Medical  Science  (in  Physiology). 

Robert  Remak's  extraordinary  career  closed  at 
Kissingen,  in  Bavaria,  on  August  29th,  1865.  In 
him,  medicine  lost  one  who  had  greatly  extended 
its  limits. 

A  fluent  writer  he  was,  but  likewise  an  ardent 
laborer  who  aimed  at  the  alleviation  and  the  cure 
of  bodily  ailments.  He  would  serve  to  his  succes- 
sors as  a  light  with  which  they  might  search  still 
deeper  and  farther  into  a  science,  very  intricate,  but 
very  essential  and  noble,  when  applied  with  loving 
care  to  the   human  sufferer. 


GABRIEL   RIESSER. 

Progress,  in  ages  gone  by  is,  so  to  say,  micro- 
scopic when  compared  with  that  brilliantly  visible  in 
this  era.  The  state  of  the  intelligent  beings  that 
people  the  earth  forms  the  important  question  which 


304  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

has  occupied  many  minds.  But  the  solution  of  the 
problem  constitutes  the  crown  which  will  adorn  the 
brow  of  this  golden  age.  Liberty,  equality  and  frater- 
nity are  a  triad,  no  longer  imaginary,  but  likely  to  be- 
come a  reality  in  our  own  day.  The  law  which 
has  declared  sentient  creatures  entitled  to  free- 
dom of  will,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  is  finding 
its  application.  We  see  it  in  the  effects  of  the 
labors  of  a  Wilberforce,  a  Lincoln,  a  Mazzini,  and 
a  Garrison.  As  these  intellectual  heroes  strove  with 
might  and  main  to  raise  their  fellow  mortals  op- 
pressed by  the  tyrant's  rule,  so  did  Gabriel 
Riesser  gird  his  loins  to  hasten  to  the  deliverance 
of  his  co-religionists.  The  sphere  of  his  actions 
Was  by  no  means  as  wide,  nor  were  the  results  of 
his  efforts  as  great.  Still,  the  services  he  rendered 
were    of  a  character  demanding  hearty  recognition. 

Dr.  Gabriel  Riesser  was  born  at  Hamburg,  Ger- 
many, in  1806.  Having  received  a  careful  in- 
struction at  home,  he  subsequently  went  to  the 
Gymnasium,  from  which  he  graduated,  and  passed  to 
the  University  of  Kiel,  and  later  to  that  of  Heidel- 
berg. 

Early  in  life,  Riesser  became  imbued  with  the 
ideas  that  were  soon  to  make  him  a  prominent  actor 
in  the  struggle  for  liberty.  He  revolted  at  the  in- 
justice done  to  his  fellow-believers,  and  while  yet  at 
college    the   conviction   took    deep    root  within    him. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  305 

that  a  feeling  of  popular  indignation  must  be  aroused  ; 
an  enthusiasm  capable  of  such  deeds  as  would  burst 
asunder  the  chains  of  persecution. 

In  1 83 1  Riesser  issued  a  pamphlet  with  the 
caption,  "  The  Position  of  the  Professors  of  the 
Mosaic  Faith  in  Germany/'  in*  which  he  courageously 
assails  the  German  Government  for  its  ill-treatment 
of  Israelites,  and  argues  soundly  and  with  exceeding 
vigor.  He  compares  the  intolerance  of  the  time  to 
the  fanaticism  of  the  Middle  Ages,  and  calls  upon 
his  brethren  to  join  hands,  and  fight  the  spirit  of 
darkness.  His  bold  assertions  and  outspoken  de- 
nunciations were  attended  with  the  issue  at  which  he 
aimed.  Though  adversely  criticised  by  some,  the 
opinions  enunciated  brought  over  a  host  of  friends 
to  the  daring  champion. 

In  the  same  year,  Riesser  penned  his  "  Defence 
of  the  Civil  Equality  of  the  Jews,  against  the  Ob- 
jections of  Dr.  J,  E.  G.  Paulus."  This  work,  in- 
tended to  disprove  the  sayings  of  a  bigoted  theolo- 
gian, displays  a  judgment  and  logical  reasoning,  to 
which  a  dispassionate  and  calm  exposure  of  the  disa- 
bilities of  the  Hebrews  lends  additional  strength.  It 
exercised  considerable  influence  on  the  author's  re- 
ligious adversaries,  and  tended,  to  a  certain  degree, 
to  abate  prejudice. 

Dr.  Riesser  began,  in  1832,  the  publication  of 
I)er  Jude    (The   Jew),  a   periodical    devoted   to   the 


306  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

interests  of  the  Jews,  and  with  an  eye  to  their  political 
emancipation.  The  erudition  and  zeal  with  which 
its  editor  refuted  calumnies  against  his  brethren  were 
not  ineffectual.  The  man  who  had  assumed  an  ar- 
duous, but  glorious  undertaking,  saw  his  indomitable 
will,  unwearied  patience  and  perseverance,  lead  step 
by  step  to  the  final  goal.  Der  Jude  became  a  me- 
dium for  the  advocacy  of  staunch  principles  and 
equal  rights.  It  frequently  contained  articles  of  un- 
common merit,  contributed  by  men  of  learning.  Its 
issue  was,  however,  discontinued  in  1834. 

Besides  the  articles  inserted  in  his  organ,  Dr. 
Riesser  published,  in  1835,  "Strictures  on  the  Pro- 
ceedings of  the  Diet  of  Baden,  of  1833,  on  tne 
Emancipation  of  the  Jews,"  wherein  he  expresses 
himself  freely  on  the  hypocrisy  cropping  out  of  the 
discussions  held.  There  also  appeared  at  different 
intervals,  "  Boerne  and  the  Jews,"  and  "  Jewish 
Letters,"  the  last-mentioned  notably  evincing  the 
author's  scholarship.  "  Apprehensions  and  Hopes  as 
to  the  Future  of  the  Jews  in  Prussia,"  a  political 
dissertation,  which  came  from  the  press  in  1842, 
betokens  ingenuity  and  a  consummate  knowledge 
of  national  affairs.  Riesser  also  wrote  for  different 
journals  and  magazines.  In  all  his  productions,  the 
true  spirit  of  a  Jew  is  manifested.  He  would  not 
part  with  his  religion  for  worldly  advantages,  and 
he  ever  censured  those  who  abandon  the  faith  of 
their  fathers,  for  a  fleeting  reputation. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  2)°7 

The  sacrifices  Riesser  brought  to  the  altar  of  his 
belief  are  the  best  proofs  of  his  unimpeached  sin- 
cerity. He  was  hindered  from  practising  as  an  ad- 
vocate in  his  own  native  city ;  he  was  refused  even 
an  unsalaried  position  at  the  University  of  Heidel- 
berg, for  being  a  Jew.  Of  course,  these  checks 
upon  a  high-spirited  man  caused  mortification,  but 
they  could  not  shake  the  firmness  of  a  resolute 
heart. 

Finally,  in  1848,  Dr.  Riesser  was  elected  to  the 
German  Parliament.  Now  did  the  voice  which  had 
long  been  lifted  in  vain,  resound  within  the  halls 
of  legislation.  The  tone  and  fervid  eloquence  of  the 
speaker  made  him  nobly  conspicuous  in  that  rep- 
resentative assemblage.  He  stood  among  the  fore- 
most, battling  for  a  United  Germany,  based  on  the 
will  of  the  people.  His  very  opponents  observed  in 
the  honest  Israelite,  one  really  attached  to  his  father- 
land, and  Riesser  was  honored  by  being  chosen 
Vice-President  of  Parliament,  and  also  a  member  of 
the  delegation  sent  to  Berlin,  to  offer  King  William 
IV.  the  crown  of  Germany. 

The  year  i860  saw  Gabriel  Riesser  a  Justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  in  the  city  of  his  birth.  Thus 
were  his  labors  rewarded,  and  deeply  he  appreciated 
the  victory.  His  own  words  will  show  how  he  re 
garded  his  elevation  to  that  judicial  post :  "  Not 
for  my  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of   the  Jews,  do 


308  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

I  rejoice  in  the  distinction  I  have  received ;  I  see  in 
it  the  recognition  of  the  rights  of  the  Jews." 

Dr.  Riesser  died  at  Hamburg,  Germany,  in 
i860. 

Let  the  revilers  of  Jewish  patriotism  be  hushed 
into  silence;  let  them  never  again  attempt  their 
mendacious  onslaughts,  lest  the  ghOst  of  Gabriel 
Riesser  rise  in  all  its  majesty,  and  mark  them  out 
as  objects  of  scorn. 

ROTHSCHILD. 

The  origin  and  progress  of  a  family  whose  con- 
trolling power  in  the  commercial  world  is  every- 
where felt,  must,  of  necessity,  be  of  interest.  But  to 
trace  the  exertions  of  each  individual  member  of  a 
house  so  incomparably  famous,  would  be  too  exten- 
sive an  undertaking.  The  presentation  of  some  char- 
acters preeminently  historical,  is  the  object  we  seek 
to  attain. 

I. — Meyer  Anselm  Rothschild  was  born  in  the 
Judenstrass,  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  Germany,  in 
1743.  When  but  eleven  years  old,  his  parents  died, 
and  the  surviving  relatives  trained  the  boy  for  a 
teacher.  This  occupation  not  suiting  his  taste,  young 
Rothschild  engaged  in  an  humble  trading  business, 
and,  shortly  after,  he  was  employed  in  a  counting- 
house,  at  Hanover.     In  a  few  years,  he  became  master 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  309 

of  a  small  capital,  and,  returning  to  Frankfort,  he 
married,  and  started  in  business  for  himself,  as  a 
banker  and  broker.  Industry  and  integrity  soon  ob- 
tained for  him  a  reputation,  and  he  was  authorized  to 
raise  a  loan  to  stay  off  the  French  republican  forces, 
and  save  Frankfort  from  pillage. 

In  1 80 1  the  Landgrave  or  Elector  of  Hesse-Cassel, 
who  had  accumulated  about  a  million  pounds  sterling, 
by  hiring  his  subjects  to  fight  for  England  and 
France,  was  obliged  to  flee  on  account  of  the  ap- 
proach of  Napoleon,  who,  after  the  battle  of  Jena, 
had  declared  that  ruler's  estates  forfeited.  Before 
leaving,  however,  the  Elector  sent  for  Rothschild,  and 
offered  him  the  free  use  of  the  treasure,  without  in- 
terest, if  he  would  convey  it  to  a  place  of  safety. 
With  the  aid  of  his  friends,  the  prudent  banker 
succeeded  in  secreting  the  money,  and  thus  prevented 
its  being  seized  by  the  French.  His  affairs  now 
began  to  prosper  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  was  able 
to  contract  for  a  Danish  loan  of  four  million  dollars. 

Rothschild  had  five  sons,  and,  previous  to  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  September,  1812,  he  ex- 
perienced the  pleasure  of  seeing  them  all  securely 
established  as  the  monarchs  of  European  finance — 
Anselm  in  Frankfort,  Solomon  in  Vienna,  Nathan  in 
London,  Charles  in  Naples,  and  James  in  Paris. 


II. — Nathan    Meyer    Rothschild,    third    son   of 


3IO  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Meyer  Anselm,  was  born  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main, 
Germany,  on  the  16th  of  September,  1777.  He  be- 
came associated  with  his  father  in  banking  operations, 
and  went  to  England  in  1800,  to  represent  the  firm. 
He  first  proceeded  to  Manchester,  where  he  pur- 
chased goods  for  the  Continent.  Removing  to  Lon- 
don, he  invested  large  sums  of  money  for  the  house, 
and  with  so  much  judgment,  that  the  principal  mul- 
tiplied with  great  rapidity.  He  was  appointed,  by 
the  interest  of  the  Landgrave  of  Hesse-Cassel,  agent 
for  the  payment  of  the  £12,000,000  sterling,  which, 
by  the  treaty  of  Toeplitz,  Great  Britain  stipulated  to 
pay  her  German  allies.  A  large  profit  accrued  to 
the  house  by  this  transaction. 

During  the  war  between  England  and  Spain, 
which  began  in  1808,  the  Rothschilds  gave  evidence 
of  their  immense  wealth,  by  their,  remittances  to 
the  English  army.  In  a  period  of  twelve  years, 
five  hundred  millions  of  dollars  were  raised  for  dif- 
ferent powers,  as  loans  or  subsidies,  exclusive  of  va- 
rious other  large  sums.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  N.  M. 
Rothschild  knew  the  result  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo 
several  hours  before  the  English  Government,  there- 
by gaining  £200,000. 

The  wonderful  tact  displayed  by  the  Rothschilds 
in  the  management  of  their  resources,  is  none  the 
less  remarkable.  They  never  took  a  bad  loan  in 
hand,  and  hardly  any  good  loans  fell  into  the  hands 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  3  I  T 

of  others.  In  addition  to  the  co-operation  of  the 
five  brothers,  important  agencies  exist  in  many  other 
cities,  both  of  the  Old  and  the  New  World.  Were 
it  not  for  the  extraordinary  means  which  the  Roth- 
schilds possess,  reverses  which  entailed  serious  losses, 
might  have  proved  fatal.  But  extreme  watchfulness 
served  as  a  safeguard  to  future  success. 

On  the  death  of  the  father,  Mr.  Nathan  Meyer 
Rothschild  was  considered  head  of  the  firm,  and,  as 
such,  was  always  consulted  by  his  brothers,  on  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the  house.  He  in- 
troduced th.e  business  of  negotiating  foreign  loans  in 
England,  and  an  act  of  denization  was  passed  in  his 
favor  in  1821.  Though  created  a  Baron  of  the  Aus- 
trian Empire,  Mr.  Rothschild  never  adopted  the  title, 
preferring  the  renown  he  had  achieved  as  a  financier. 

The  Baron  had  special  claims  to  public  attention 
as  a  philanthropist.  He  donated  large  sums  alike 
to  Jewish  and  Christian  institutions,  and  his  moral 
and  pecuniary  aid  was  ever  lent  to  the  promotion 
of  good  objects.  As  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Deputies  of  British  Jews,  Mr.  Rothschild  gave  the 
weight  of  his  influence  to  further  the  designs  of 
that   organization. 

While  at  Frankfort,  to  witness  the  marriage  of 
his  son,  Lionel,  to  Charlotte,  daughter  of  the  Baron 
Charles  Rothschild,  an  illness  overtook  him,  and 
he   expired  on  the  28th  of  July,  1836.     His  remains 


312  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

were  brought  to  England,  and  interred,  with  great 
solemnity,  in  the  cemetery  of  the  Great  (German) 
Synagogue.  Many  thousands  of  pounds  were  left 
by  Mr.  Rothschild,  to  be  distributed  to  the  poor 
by  his  widow.  His  brother  Anselm,  who  died 
childless,  in  1856,  left  a  fortune  valued  at  from 
40,000,000    to    50,000,000    florins. 


III. — Lionel  Nathan  de  Rothschild,  son  of 
Baron  Nathan  Meyer,  was  born  at  London,  Eng- 
land, November  22d,  1808.  He  received  an  edu- 
cation at  Gbttingen,  and  his  father  early  initiated 
him  into  the  business  of  the  firm.  Applying  him- 
self to  the  task,  he  materially  assisted  the  house 
in    extending    its    colossal    enterprises. 

The  earnestness  Mr.  Rothschild  evinced  in 
Jewish  matters,  and  his  labors  to  induce  the  re- 
moval of  the  political  disabilities  affecting  Israel- 
ites, redounded  greatly  to  his  credit.  The  British 
Government  recognized  his  hereditary  title  of  Baron, 
in  1838,  and,  in  1847,  he  was  chosen  by  the 
Liberals  to  the  House  of  Commons.  Declining  to 
be  sworn  "  On  the  true  faith  of  a  Christian,"  he 
was  not  allowed  to  take  his  seat.  The  contrast 
between  the  will  of  Parliament  and  that  of  the 
people  was  proven  by  Baron  Rothschild's  re-election 
for  the  city  of  London,  in  the  years  1849,  1852, 
and    1857. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  313 

Many  bills  were  introduced  for  the  recognition 
of  Jewish  rights,  which,  though  they  usually  passed 
the  House  of  Commons,  were  invariably  rejected 
by  the  Upper  House.  In  1858,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Duncombe,  Baron  Rothschild  was  placed  on  a 
committee  to  hold  a  conference  with  the  House 
of  Lords,  which  virtually  ended  in  the  declaration 
of  Jewish  emancipation.  The  Commons  sent  up 
another  bill,  and  a  general  belief  prevailed  that, 
if  it  were,  like  the  rest,  thrown  out  by  the  Lords, 
Jewish  members  would  be  admitted  by  resolution 
of  their  own  House,  instead  of  by  act  of  Parliament. 
The  Lords  gave  way,  but  their  groundless  fears  im- 
pelled them  to  take  measures  against  the  admission 
of  Israelites  into  the  Upper  Chamber.  Baron  Roth- 
schild assumed  his  seat,  amid  cheers,  on  the  26th 
of  July,  1858,  and  he  was  successively  returned 
to  Parliament  until  the  general  election  of  1874. 
He    died    June    3d,  1879. 


IV. — Anthony  de  Rothschild,  son  of  Baron 
Nathan  Meyer,  was  born  at  London,  England,  in 
1 80 1.  He  entered  the  great  banking  house  estab- 
lished by  his  father,  and,  in  later  years,  became  one 
of  the  principal  members  of  the  firm.  His  business 
talents  were  shown  by  the  sharp  discernment,  ex- 
cellent management,  and  sagacity  which  he  exercised 
in  conducting  its  affairs. 


3 14  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

This  large-hearted  Hebrew  was  distinguished  both 
for  charity  and  uniform  kindness.  He  expended  vast 
sums  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  poor  of 
Palestine,  and  also  contributed  to  numerous  institu- 
tions, irrespective  of  the  assistance  given  to  private 
individuals.  Countenancing  and  supporting  every- 
thing of  a  Jewish  nature,  he  assumed  a  prominent 
part  in  the  English  community. 

Education  among  his  co-religionists  claimed  the 
attention  of  the  Baronet.  As  President  of  the  Jewish 
schools  in  Spitalfields,  he  exerted  himself  to  foster 
knowledge,  and  his  personal  influence  proved  as 
beneficial  as  the  dispensing  of  his  means. 

Sir  Anthony  was  created  a  Baronet  of  Great 
Britain  in  1 864 ;  but  the  honor  did  not  lessen  the  ac- 
tive interest  he  took  in  the  prosperity  of  his  brethren, 
and  the  whole  English  nation.  When,  on  January 
4th,  1876,  his  earthly  career  terminated,  none  could 
say  ill  of  the  man.  His  record  remained  clear  and 
untarnished  to  the  end. 


At  present  our  fellow-believers  in  Great  Britain  are 
subject  to  few,  if  any,  disqualifications.  As  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Bench  and  of  the  Bar,  as  members 
of  legislative  bodies,  and  as  occupants  of  other  civic 
stations,  they  have  insured  public  confidence.  But 
the  Rothschild  family  has  not  lost  caste  by  reason 
of  the  immunities  and    preferments  shared  by  many 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  3  I  5 

of  its  own  denomination.  It  still  holds  the  power 
which  opulence  and  liberality  secure,  and,  though  the 
intermarriage  of  some  with  non-Israelites  must  be 
deprecated,  the  main  portion  of  this  renowned  house- 
hold makes  itself  felt  for  good,  in  whatever  conduces 
to  the  perpetuation  and  elevation  of  the  belief  of 
the  ancient  race. 


MICHAEL   SACHS. 

In  the  second  volume  of  the  Hebrew  poems  of 
Prof.  S.  D.  Luzzatto,  there  is  a  rhythmical  composi- 
tion dedicated  to  a  revered  Israelite.  The  writer 
tells  of  a  heart  from  which  persuasive  eloquence 
would  flow,  and  of  a  mind  that  would  confound 
unbelievers  by  its  divinely-supported  learning.  He 
apostrophizes  the  man  whose  virtues  had  inspired 
his  poetic  genius.  It  was  Michael  Sachs, — just  then 
elevated  to  a  position  for  which  his  exact  scholarship 
eminently  fitted  him, — whom  Prof.  Luzzatto  extolled. 
Praise  was  never  more  deservedly  bestowed. 

Dr.  Michael  Sachs  was  born  at  Gross-Glogau, 
Prussia,  on  the  3d  of  September,  1808.  The  extra- 
ordinary abilities  he  evinced  at  an  early  age  determ- 
ined his  father  to  educate  him  for  one  of  the  learned 
professions.  Accordingly,  he  was  sent  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  Berlin,  where  his  mild  disposition,  combined 
with    great    natural   powers,  gained   the    good  will 


3l6  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

of  both  preceptors  and  classmates.  Science  and  ora- 
tory divided  his  attention,  and  both  were  designed 
as  aids  in  his  study  of  Jewish  theology. 

Sachs'  career  as  a  writer  began  with  a  translation 
of  the  Bible  into  German,  undertaken  in  conjunction 
with  others.  In  1837  his  knowledge  of  the  art  of 
public  speaking  was  put  to  the  test  in  the  famous 
city  of  Prague.  For  seven  years,  his  eloquence  and 
winning  manners  made  him  the  object  of  the  deep- 
felt  regard  and  affection  of  the  entire  community. 

Dr.  Sachs  became  a  warm  personal  friend  of  the 
great  Rapoport,  who  admired  his  colleague's  ardent 
devotion  to  Jewish  learning.  In  1844  Sachs  re- 
sponded to  a  call  from  the  Berlin  congregation. 
The  invitation  extended  by  a  Hebrew  community  so 
influential  was  flattering,  and  Sachs  wended  his  steps 
where  Providence  destined  that  he  should  remain 
during  the  rest  of  his  too  short  existence.  About 
the  time  he  removed  to  the  capital  of  Prussia,  changes 
in  the  Jewish  worship  had  been  making  there  con- 
siderable headway.  His  effective  labors  were  directed 
to  stay  the  progress  of  what  he  considered  mischievous, 
and  he  succeeded  in  checking  the  members  of  his 
own  flock  from  adopting  the  new  system.  The 
talents  of  the  noted  Hebrew  were  too  brilliant  to 
remain  unnoticed  by  the  German  Government,  and 
he  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Council  of  Edu- 
cation. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  317 

The  publication  of  works  of  surpassing  worth  gave 
evidence  of.  Dr.  Sachs'  signal  ability.  "The  Re- 
ligious Poetry  of  the  Jews  in  Spain"  appeared  in 
1845,  exhibiting  a  very  intimate  acquaintance  with  a 
literature  which  undoubtedly  occupies  a  vast  and 
important  place  in  the  world  of  letters.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  magnificent  translation  of  the  Prayers,  in 
ten  volumes,  published  in  1855,  and  of  which  many 
thousand  copies  were  sold.  There  came  also, 
in  succession,  "Voices  from  the  Jordan  and  the 
Euphrates ;"  a  series  of  contributions  on  Jewish  An- 
tiquities ;    and  other  writings  of  sterling    value. 

Dr.  Sachs  won  the  greatest  renown,  however,  as 
a  preacher.  He  was  considered,  without  excep- 
tion, the  most  finished  pulpit  orator  of  the  day  among 
Israelites.  Crowds  would  breathlessly  listen  to  his 
extemporaneous  outbursts  of  eloquence.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that,  because  his  sermons  were  delivered  im- 
promptu, a  collection  thereof  cannot  be  made,  and 
preserved  to  posterity.  One  of  his  last  efforts  was 
an  address  on  "  Moses,  the  Champion  of  God," 
wherein  he  paid  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  character 
of  Sir   Moses    Montefiore. 

Dr.  Sachs  died  on  the  31st  of  January,  1864. 
The  profound  sorrow  his  loss  occasioned  testified  to 
the  esteem  in  which  the  gentleman  and  scholar 
was  held  by  men  who  can  adequately  appreciate 
learning  joined   to   high    principles.     It   will   not  be 


3l8  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

claiming  too  much,  to  say  that  Michael  Sachs  was 
one  of  the  brightest  luminaries  in  the  Jewish  horizon 
in  our  century. 


DAVID    SALOMONS. 

When  King  John  compelled  Jews  to  part  with 
their  gold  to  fill  his  exhausted  coffers;  when  he 
pulled  their  teeth  to  frighten  them  into  a  quick  de- 
livery of  their  substance,  he  did  not  dream  that  their 
posterity  would  sit  among  the  highest  functionaries 
in  the  very  metropolis  of  his  dominions.  But 'this  is 
a  wonderful  century,  and  Israelites  have  every  cause 
to  thank  Providence  who  has  wrought  great  ends 
through  human  means.  It  is  quite  appropriate  to  direct 
a  thought  to  a  bold  defender  of  right ;  to  the  English- 
man whose  determined,  yet  dignified,  deportment  be- 
came the  instrument  to  erase  the  vestiges  of  anti- 
quated and  proscriptive  laws. 

Sir  David  Salomons,  Bart.,  M.P.,  a  son  of  Levy 
Salomons,  Esq.,  was  born  at  London,  England,  in 
1797.  He  early  engaged  in  commercial  pursuits. 
On  reaching  manhood  he  manifested  much  interest 
in  Jewish  affairs,  and,  as  his  fellow-believers  were  de- 
prived of  their  rights  as  citizens,  he  soon  employed 
his  zeal  in  advocating  their  cause.  In  connection 
with  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  the  Rothschilds,  the  Gold- 
smids,    and    several     noble-minded     Christians,     he 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  319 

finally  obtained  for  his  brethren  their  immunities 
and  privileges  as  Englishmen. 

Mr.  Salomons  attracted  notice  in  the  year  1835, 
on  being  elected  Sheriff  of  London  and  Middlesex, 
and,  in  the  same  year,  Alderman  of  Aldgate  Ward. 
He  became  a  candidate  for  Parliament  from  Shore- 
ham,  in  1837,  but  was  defeated.  The  same  happened 
in  1 84 1  and  1847,  when  put  forward  for  the  constitu- 
encies of  Maidstone  and  Greenwich,  respectively.  Still 
Mr.  Salomons  was  chosen  High  Sheriff  of  Kent  in 
1839-40,  Alderman  of  Portsmouth  in  1844,  and  of 
Cordwainers'  in  1847.  What  militated  against  his 
election  to  several  stations  was  his  refusal  to  subscribe 
to  the  required  declaration,  "  On  the  true  faith  of  a 
Christian."  Curiously  enough,  he  could  be  called  to 
the  Bar  at  the  Middle  Temple  in  1 849,  and  also  act 
as  Magistrate  and  Deputy-Lieutenant  for  Kent,  Sus- 
sex, and  Middlesex ;  but  the  Hebrew  who  was  per- 
mitted to  assist  in  administering  the  laws  was  denied 
participation  in  the  formation  of  them. 

Severe  were  the  struggles  in  both  houses  of  Parlia- 
ment. The  friends  of  freedom  fought  bravely.  Noted 
personages,  as  Lord  Macaulay,  Lord  John  Russell, 
Lord  George  Bentinck,  Mr.  O'Connell,  Mr.  Grote  the 
historian,  Mr.  Disraeli,  Mr.  Gladstone,  and  several  dig- 
nitaries of  the  Church,  tried  to  kill  the  hydra  of  pre- 
judice. In  1847  Baron  Lionel  de  Rothschild,  sup- 
ported by  the  Liberal  party,  gained  an  election  to  the 


320  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

House  of  Commons ;  however,  he  could  not  take  his 
seat,  by  reason  of  the  oath,  "  On  the  true  faith  of  a 
Christian." 

But  the  unsuccessful  result  of  this  election  did  not 
deter  Mr.  Salomons  from  offering  himself  to  represent 
Greenwich,  in  185 1,  though  he  had  thrice  previously 
been  frustrated  in  his  attempts.  He  was  returned  to 
Parliament,  and,  entering  the  House  of  Commons,  in- 
sisted on  being  sworn  on  the  Old  Testament,  and 
omitting  the  objectionable  words.  He  maintained  that 
he  was  lawfully  there,  and  he  had  the  boldness  not 
only  to  take  his  seat,  but  to  speak  and  vote  three 
times  on  the  very  question  of  his  right  to  remain  in 
the  House.  His  conduct  was  loudly  denounced  by 
the  Speaker,  and  some  of  the  members,  but  others 
sustained  his  course.  Mr.  Salomons  was  com- 
pelled to  withdraw.  The  penalty  incurred  for  his 
action  was  £500,  and  the  affair  led  to  prolonged  legal 
proceedings  before  the  Court  of  Exchequer. 

In  1 855— *6  Mr.  Salomons  served  as  Lord  Mayor 
of  London.  He  was  the  first  of  the  two  Hebrews 
(the  other  being  Sir  Benjamin  S.  Phillips)  who  graced 
that  exalted  position.  Of  Sir  David,  The  Times  said  : 
"  At  last  we  have,  for  the  first  time,  a  Lord  Mayor 
who  can  speak  the  Queen's  English  with  propriety," 

The  obnoxious  oath,  which  had  called  forth  the 
antagonism  of  David  Salomons,  was  repealed  in 
1858,  and  Baron  Rothschild  assumed  his  seat  in  Par- 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  32 1 

liament.  He  who  had  grappled  with  the  evil,  and 
crushed  it,  was  again  chosen  to  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, from  Greenwich,  in  1859,  and  he  continued  to 
fiulfil  important  trusts,  always  maintaining  and  defend- 
ing the  honor  of  his  fellow-believers.  On  July  1 8th, 
1873,  this  venerable  son  of  Jacob  was  gathered  to  his 
fathers. 

Sir  David  wrote  several  essays  on  Religious  Disa- 
bilities, Persecution  of  the  Jews  in  the  East,  Currency, 
Corn  Laws,  Oaths,  etc.  He  was,  at  one  time,  a  Trus- 
tee of  the  London  and  Westminster  Bank. 

The  sterling  qualities  conspicuous  in  the  charac- 
ter of  this  English  Jew,  raised  him  so  loftily, 
that  it  would  be  superfluous  on  our  part  to  attempt 
a  panegyric. 


JOSEPH   SALVADOR. 

Religious  discussions  conducted  with  calm  and 
impartial  judgment  must  be  productive  of  good.  Points 
presenting  difficulties  are  put  to  a  crucial  analysis. 
Thus  the  verities  they  contain  come  up  resplendent, 
while  the  fiction  sinks  low.  The  doctrines  which 
guide  the  ancient  people  have  nothing  to  fear  from 
the  searching  trial.  But  it  cannot  be  denied  that  de- 
bates of  a  dogmatic  nature  have  frequently  occasioned 
a  vast  amount  of  evil.  Passions  were  conjured  up 
which    obscured  the  serene   regions    of  the  intellect. 


322  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

All  should  feel  glad  that,  in  this  age  of  enlighten- 
ment, and  in  liberal  France,  polemical  productions 
will  command  attention  and  respect.  The  works 
of  Joseph  Salvador  do  not  exactly  belong  to  that 
category.  But  as  they  have  elicited  adverse  stric- 
tures, and  again  writings  vindicating  former  as- 
sertions, they  may  be  classified  with  literary  labors 
purporting  to  ventilate  accepted  ideas  in  religion,  and 
to  serve  the  cause  of  truth. 

Joseph  Salvador  was  born  at  Montpellier,  France, 
in  1796.  His  ancestors,  whom  the  ruthless  arm  of 
the  Inquisition  aimed  to  strike  dead,  fled  from  Spain 
in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  fcund  safety  in  France. 
Their  illustrious  descendant  showed  a  precocious  un- 
derstanding, and  an  eager  desire  for  knowledge  in  the 
days  of  his  boyhood.  He  early  displayed  a  preference 
for  science  and  philosophy,  nor  did  he  part  with  them 
when  pursuing  other  studies.  The  youth  attended  a 
medical  school,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1 8 16,  as 
Doctor  of  Medicine,  choosing  for  his  thesis,  "  The  Ap- 
plication of  Philosophy  to  Pathology."  He  did  not, 
however,  steadily  follow  up  the  medical  profession, 
but  responded  to  the  promptings  of  his  nature,  by  de- 
voting his  time  to  literature. 

M.  Salvador  betook  himself  to  Paris,  and  did 
not  delay  carrying  out  his  cherished  plans.  He  pur- 
posed treating  of  the  Jewish  people,  their  origin  and 
history.     He  endeavored  to  signalize  the  undertaking 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY".  323 

by  system  and  thoroughness,  so  that  it  might  offer 
accurate  information,  and  suggest  thoughts  never  be- 
fore entertained  by  the  readers  of  the  Mosaic 
volumes. 

M.  Salvador,  looking  from  his  own  standpoint,  has 
surely  succeeded  in  giving  the  Pentateuch  a  foremost 
station.  In  the  sphere  of  philosophical  criticism  he 
differs  from  the  German  school,  whose  theories,  trans- 
planted into  France,  are  greatly  in  vogue.  He  is 
original  in  many  instances,  and  applies  scientific  knowl- 
edge to  matters  dwelt  upon.  He  sees  the  omnipres- 
ence of  God  in  the  affairs  of  nations,  and  clearly  in 
the  history  of  the  Hebrews.  Not  that  he  recognizes 
an  immediate  communion  of  the  mind  of  Moses  with 
the  Spirit  that  governs  the  universe  ;  but,  ascribing  to 
the  leader  of  the  tribes  the  whole  credit  for  the  sublime 
legislation  which  bears  his  name,  Salvador,  neverthe- 
less, admits  the  invisible  direction  of  the  Supreme 
Being  in  whatever  did  and  will  civilize  the  world. 

The  following  works  have  emanated  from  M.  Sal- 
vador :  "  The  Law  of  Moses,  or  the  Religious  and 
Political  System  of  the  Hebrews,"  in  1822,  which  may 
be  termed  a  prelude  to  the  "  History  of  the  Institu- 
tions of  Moses  and  of  the  Hebrew  People,"  in  two 
volumes — 1828.  The  latter  book  has  passed  through 
several  editions.  Much  comment  was  occasioned 
by  its  appearance,  and  the  author's  elucidations,  con- 
cerning  the  administration  of  justice,   as  enforced  in 


324  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

the  case  of  the  man  of  Nazareth,  provoked  a  contro- 
versial writing  from  the  widely-known  jurist,  Jean 
Jacques  Dupin,  entitled,  "  Jesus  before  Caiphas  and 
Pilate."  Salvador  maintained  his  ground,  and  in  his 
famous  production,  "  Jesus  and  his  Doctrine,"  in  two 
volumes,  1838,  he  shows  with  immense  erudition 
whence  the  son  of  Mary  derived  his  knowledge,  and 
why  he  could  not  receive  the  homage  of  the  Jews. 
Important  facts  relative  to  the  founder  of  Christianity 
are  there  disclosed.  "  History  of  the  Roman  Domi- 
nation in  Judea,  and  of  the  Destruction  of  Jerusalem/' 
in  three  volumes,  was  published  in  1847;  and  "Paris, 
Rome,  Jerusalem ;  or,  The  Religious  Question  in  the 
Nineteenth  Century,"  in  two  volumes,  in  i860,  and 
which  is  the  latest  and  ripest  of  Salvador's  works. 

The  author  had  watched,  with  the  eye  of  a  pro- 
found philosopher,  the  events  that  followed  each  other 
since  1848.  In  a  series  of  letters  he  describes  the  im- 
pressions created,  the  hopes  and  aspirations  of  his 
soul.  Therein  is  given  a  comprehensive  summary  of 
all  upon  which  he  had  reflected.  He  recognizes  in  the 
revolution  of  1789  the  beginning  of  an  era  that  can- 
not be  terminated  until  religion  permeates  politics, 
and  both  form  an  indissoluble  alliance. 

M.  Salvador  died  at  Paris,  France,  in  1873. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  325 

FLAMINIO    SERVI. 

A  journal  in  the  interest  of  Judaism  is  a  thing  of 
recent  date  in  Italy.  The  first  appeared  in  1853,  at 
Vercelli,  a  city  of  Piedmont.  L Educator e  Israelita,  a 
monthly  magazine,  was  edited  by  Joseph  Levi,  who, 
while  bringing  to  the  task  all  the  versatile  knowledge 
requisite,  secured  a  valuable  co-laborer  in  Ezra 
Pontremoli.  But  in  1874  death  removed  him  who 
had  made  his  organ  a  vehicle  to  popular  instruc- 
tion, and  to  the  exaltation  of  Israel.  The  keynote 
which  that  zealous  worker  struck,  met  with  a 
response  during  his  lifetime.  At  Trieste,  .  the 
eastern  end  of  the  Italian  peninsula,  A.  Curiel 
began  77  Corriere  Israelitico,  a  monthly,  which 
still  adds  .  to  its  high  merits,  by  keeping  its 
readers  constantly  informed  of  the  doings  of  the 
Alliance  Israelite  Universelle.  A  third  publica- 
tion, that  of  Rabbi  G.  E.  Levi,  called  Mos'e,  An- 
tologia  Israelitica,  inscribed  to  Sir  Moses  Monte fiore, 
and  issued  at  Corfu,  Greece,  in  the  Italian  language,  is 
specially  devoted  to  Jewish  science.  But  L  Educa- 
tore  Israelita  did  not  die  with  its  founder.  Rabbi  F. 
Servi,  of  Casale,  assumed  the  management  of  the 
periodical,  and  it  lives  to-day  under  the  name  of 
11  Vessillo  Israelitico.  Its  learned  editor  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch. 

Flaminio  Servi,  Chief  Rabbi  of  Casale,  was  born 


326  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

at  Pitigliano,  in  Tuscan  Italy,  December  21st,  184T. 
He  studied  under  Moses  Sorani,  now  Chief  Rabbi  of 
Cento,  and  David  J.  Maroni,  at  present  Chief  Rabbi 
of  Florence.  But  he  derived  most  of  his  knowledge 
from  his  own  father,  who,  though  a  layman,  success- 
fully cultivated  theology.  Parental  precept  and  ex- 
ample, together  with  lessons  on  Holy  Writ  and 
Talmud,  instilled  principles  which  developed  an  un- 
shaken attachment  to  historical  Judaism.  Gifted  with 
great  aptness  and  a  retentive  memory,  feeling  an  inborn 
fondness  for  literature,  the  lad  did  not  incline  towards 
his  father's  vocation. 

When  only  eight  years  old,  Servi's  unfitness  for 
commerce,  and  his  qualifications  for  the  pursuit  of 
learning  could  have  been  foretold.  For  he  would, 
when  even  so  young,  try  his  hand  at  versification, 
and,  as  he  grew,  the  most  trivial  event  elicited  poetical 
effusions.  When  eleven  he  translated  the  Book  of 
Proverbs,  and  completed  a  version  of  the  Psalter,  left 
unfinished  by  an  elder  brother  who  had  died  very 
early  in  life.  The  youth  soon  became  a  contributor 
to  Jewish  journals,  and  some  of  his  numerous  articles 
met  with  so  much  favor  that  they  were  reproduced 
in  other  languages. 

When  twenty  years  of  age,  Servi  was  deemed 
worthy  of  the  title  of  Haber,  and  only  two  years 
afterwards  of  that  of  Rabbi.  He  was  therefore 
chosen  assistant  to  the  Jewish  ecclesiastical  chief  of 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  32/ 

Pitigliano.  Subsequently,  being  made  a  Morenu,  he 
ministered  respectively  at  Monticelli  and  Mondovi ; 
and  he  has  officiated  since   1 872  at  Casale. 

But  Rabbi  Servi  is  best  known  as  editor  of  77 
Vessillo  Israclitico.  This  magazine  has  a  large  circu- 
lation, and  its  pages  are  graced  by  the  contributions 
of  noted  men  in  Italy.  Prof.  Salvatore  De  Benedetti, 
whose  work  on  Jehudah  Halevy  would  alone  suffice 
to  give  him  .  celebrity ;  Moses  Soave,  a  truly  great 
scholar,  whom  Steinschneider  does  not  disdain  to  con- 
sult ;  Rabbis  Bachi,  Luria,  and  Jare,  and  other  excel- 
lent writers  help  to  maintain  the  literary  standard  of 
this  periodical  while,  at  the  same  time,  a.  choice  col- 
lection of  domestic  and  foreign  news  is  regularly  pre- 
sented. 

Of  Rabbi  Servi's  productions,  the  principal  is  Gli 
Israeliti  D' Europa  (The  Israelites  of  Europe)-i87i, 
containing  valuable  accounts  of  what  has  been  done 
by  our  co-religionists  for  the  cause  of  civilization, 
from  1789,  when  France  gave  them  freedom,  to  1870, 
when  the  unification  of  Italy  was  effected.  The  nar- 
rative of  historical  events  in  which  men  of  our  race 
played  a  conspicuous  part,  the  copious  statistics  of 
population  and  of  institutions,  and  the  large  number 
of  notices  of  the  lives  and  writings  of  illustrious  He- 
brews, won  for  the  author  the  prize  of  one  thousand 
francs,  offered  by  the  Committee  for  the  Diffusion  of 
Good  Works  among  Italian  Israelites*     One  thousand 


328  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

copies  came  from  the  press.  The  Rabbi  has  also  pub- 
lished sermons,  short  poems  written  in  his  boyhood, 
and  "Jewish  Tales,"  and  he  is  said  to  have  in  manu- 
script a  translation  of  the  best  part  of  the  Mishna, 
with  explanatory  notes,  a  treatise  on  Rhetoric,  etc., 
etc. 

In  reward  for  his  services,  Rabbi  Servi  was  cre- 
ated a  Chevalier  of  the  Croivn  of  Italy,  in  1 877,  when 
he  received  a  flattering  letter  from  the  Minister  of 
Public  Instruction. 

The  Rabbi-Chevalier  is  yet  young  in  years,  and 
by  keeping  in  the  course  he  has  evidently  determined 
upon — that  of  fearless  honesty  and  independence — 
he  will,  in  the  end,  realize  his  most  ardent  hopes, 
and  add  to  the  distinguished  reputation  already 
achieved. 


MORITZ    STEINSCHNEIDER. 

Students  whose  noble  self-denial  incites  them  to 
endure  hardships,  while  intent  upon  rising  to  dis- 
tinction, have,  at  times,  ignobly  denied  those  left 
below  the  light  which  might  serve  as  a  guide. 
Literary  misers  are  they,  valueless  to  society.  We 
turn  from  such,  to  cast  a  look  upon  one  who  has 
cheerfully  shed  around  the  radiance  of  his  ency- 
clopedic learning.      Moritz  Steinschneider,  gifted  with 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  329 

powers  that  few  possess,  commanding  an  erudition 
acquired  by  endless  exertions,  does  not  repel  multi- 
tudes who  seek  his  teachings.  He  gives  abundantly 
of  his  own.  He  is  no  less  a  " lover  of  language" 
than  a  lover  of  men.  His  philology  and  his  philan- 
thropy react  upon  each  other. 

Dr.  Moritz  Steinschneider  was  born  at  Prossnitz, 
in  Moravia,  Austria,  on  the  30th  of  March,  18 16. 
His  father,  Jacob  Steinschneider,  a  Talmudist,  also 
well  versed  in  secular  knowledge,  imparted  to  him 
instruction,  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  boy  attended 
school.  Young  Moritz  attained  a  broader  view  of 
practical  affairs  than  was  usually  afforded,  by  visiting 
the  work-shops  of  various  tradesmen.  In  his  thir- 
teenth year  he  became  the  pupil  of  the  celebrated 
Rabbi  Nahum  Trebitsch,  whom  he  followed  to 
Nicolsburg  in  1832. 

Having  thus  obtained  a  liberal  education,  Stein- 
schneider gave  private  lessons  in  the  French  and 
Italian  languages.  He  at  length  went  to  Prague, 
where  he  remained  until  1836,  and  devoted  himself 
to  philosophy,  philology,  aesthetics,  and  other 
branches,  receiving  diplomas  from  several  authorities. 
During  the  period  of  his  residence  at  Prague,  he 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  number  of  eminent 
scholars,  among  whom  were  the  late  Dr.  Abraham 
Benisch,  afterwards  editor  of  the  Jewish  Chronicle, 
and  the  Rev.  Albert  Lbwy,  now  a  Jewish  Minister 
in  London. 


330  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF     \ 

In  1836  Steinschneider  proceeded  to  Vienna,  and 
pursued  different  studies,  but  in  1839,  by  the  advice 
of  the  savant,  Leopold  Dukes,  he  initiated  himself 
into  the  literature,  history,  and  bibliography  of  the 
East.  He  was  anxious  to  join  the  Oriental  Acadenry, 
but  the  prejudice  of  the  day  against  his  race  de- 
barred him  from  realizing  his  desire.  He  could  not 
even  secure  the  list  of  Hebrew  books  in  the  Imperial 
Library.  Not  discouraged,  he  attended  the  lectures 
at  the  Polytechnic  Institute,  and,  to  gain  an  insight 
into  the  learning  of  the  Orient,  he  took  up  Karle's 
course  in  Arabic,  Syriac,  and  Hebrew,  and  in  Biblical 
exegesis. 

With  the  aim  of  adopting  the  Rabbinical  profession, 
Steinschneider  turned  to  theology.  But,  for  political 
reasons,  the  Austrian  Government  prohibited  his  stay 
at  Vienna,  nor  could  the  intercession  of  the  famous 
preacher,  Isaac  Noah  Mannheimer,  who  enjoyed  popu- 
larity among  all  classes,  procure  a  revocation  of  the  un- 
just mandate.  Having  applied  for  a  passport,  so  as 
to  reach  Berlin,  he  immediately  left  Vienna.  On  ar- 
riving at  Leipzig,  news  came  of  the  refusal  to  grant 
him  said  passport ;  hence  he  was  now  in  a  serious 
predicament,  unable  to  go  on,  or  return.  Com- 
pelled to  remain  at  Leipzig,  he  continued  Arabic 
under  Fleischer,  and  undertook  the  translation  of 
the  Koran  into  Hebrew,  while  interesting  himself 
in  divers  matters.  He  contributed  to  Pierer's  Uni- 
versal Encyclopedia. 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  33 1 

In  1839  Steinschneider  was  permitted  to  go  to 
Berlin,  and,  after  several  brief  sojourns  in  other 
cities,  he  settled  at  the  capital,  where  he  passed  the 
so-called  Rector  examination,  and  became  a  Prussian 
citizen.  His  position  as  reporter  of  the  National 
Zeitung  at  the  sessions  of  the  National  Assembly, 
and  likewise  his  correspondence  published  in  the 
Prague  Zeitung,  edited  by  Prof.  Hasner,  brought 
him  into  prominence  during  the  crisis  of  1848.  The 
same  year  he  received  a  commission  to  prepare  a 
catalogue  of  the  Hebrew  books  in  the  Bodleian 
Library.  In  order  to  accomplish  this  task — one  that 
required  a  learning  as  accurate  as  profound — he  made 
his  abode  at  Oxford  for  a  decade.  There  he  took 
part  in  etymological  conferences  with  Prof.  Max 
Muller. 

In  1859  the  University  of  Leipzig  honored  Stein- 
schneider with  the  degree  of  Ph.  D.,  and  he  was 
elected  Professor  of  the  Jewish  Seminary  of  Veitel- 
Heine-Ephraim,  at  Berlin.  He  also  superintends  the 
Tbchterschule  of  the  Berlin  Israelitish  community. 
He  has  been  obliged  to  decline  numerous  advan- 
tageous offers,  either  on  account  of  his  principles, 
or   by  reason  of  his  many  duties. 

Dr.  Steinschneider's  literary  endeavors  are  almost 
beyond  reckoning.  The  intellectual  height  he  has 
risen  to,  renders  his  views  on  all  subjects  of  vital 
importance.     Though,  perhaps,  not  as  deep  a  thinker 


33 2  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

as  Leopold  Zunz,  nor  as  terse  and  polished  a  writer  as 
Michael  Sachs,  the  Doctor  is  distinguished  for  a 
scholarship,  the  extent  of  which  is  sufficient  to 
create  amazement.  The  "  Catalogue  of  Hebrew 
Books  in  the  Bodleian  Library,"  embodying  the 
results  of  his  researches  at  Oxford,  is  a  monu- 
ment of  erudition.  A  production  on  the  Hebrew 
manuscripts  in  the  Bodleian  Library  has  also  been 
issued;  moreover,  "Foreign  Philological  Elements 
in  the  Modern  Hebrew;"  "Bibliographical  Manual 
of  the  Literature  of  the  Hebrew  Language ;"  "  Jew- 
ish Literature  from  the  Eighth  to  the  Eighteenth 
Century,"  with  an  introduction  on  Talmud  and 
Midrash,  translated  into  English  by  Spottiswoode  ;  on 
the  ritual  of  Saadiah  Gaon;  "Manna;"  Reschith 
Hallimmud,  a  manual  of  the  Hebrew  language,  com- 
piled in  accordance  with  a  new  system ;  "  Lives  ot 
Arabian  Mathematicians,  drawn  from  the  inedited 
work  of  Bernardino  Baldi,  with  notes;"  and  "His- 
tory of  the  Arabic  School  of  Medicine." 

In  addition  to  many  other  works,  in  Hebrew, 
Latin,  German,  French,  and  Italian,  the  Doctor  has 
furnished  articles,  specially  on  Mathematics,  Astron- 
omy and  Medicine,  for  Der  Orient  of  Dr.  Fiirst,  and 
has  contributed  to  nearly  every  magazine  in  the 
sacred  tongue ;  also  to  the  Serapeum,  and  to  »the 
Journal  of  the  German  Oriental  Society. 

Moritz  Steinschneider  still  continues  at   his  post. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  333 

His  natural  activity  forbids  him  rest.  New  pub- 
lications, professional  functions,  and  an  extensive 
correspondence,  engage  every  hour  of  the  man 
who  has,  indeed,  consecrated  his  life  to  the  service  of 
Israel  and  the  world  at  large. 


HEYMANN    STEINTHAL. 

Throughout  the  many  stages  of  history,  whether 
in  the  enjoyment  of  ease,  or  in  the  distress  of  op- 
pression, the  Hebrew  people  presented  one  peculiar 
feature — a  love  of  knowledge.  To  this  may  be  as- 
cribed that  elasticity  which  prevented  their  being 
crushed  under  the  heavy  burden  of  despotism,  and 
their  marvellous  preservation.  Mental  culture  be- 
came  the    most   formidable    of    their   defenders. 

A  short  space  will  be  devoted  to  exhibiting  the 
course  pursued  by  an  individual  whose  opinion,  on 
questions  that  none. but  lofty  minds  can  attempt  to 
solve,  is  of  exceeding  interest  to  the  votaries  of 
modern   science. 

Prof.  Dr.  Heymann  Steinthal  was  born  at  Grbb- 
zig,  in  Anhalt,  Germany,  May  16th,  1823.  Qualified 
by  a  sagaciously  directed  education  in  his  boyhood, 
for  the  reception  of  instruction  of  a  high  order,  he 
went  to  Berlin,  where  he  assiduously  cultivated  phil- 
osophy, comparative  philology,  and  mythology.  In 
the    first-named    branch  of  science,  Hegel's   theories 


334  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

exercised,  for  a  time,  an  exceeding  influence  on  the 
mind  of  the  student.  But  he  soon  threw  off  the 
yoke,  and  chose  as  his  standard,  the  teachings  of 
William  Von  Humboldt,  brother  of  the  world-re- 
nowned Alexander  Von  Humboldt. 

Steinthal  became  lecturer  at  Berlin,  and  continued 
in  that  capacity  until  1852/  He  afterwards  repaired 
to  Paris,  and  took  up  the  language  and  literature  of 
the  Chinese.  Returning  to  Berlin,  in  1863,  he  was 
elected  Professor  Extraordinary  at  the  University — a 
graceful  tribute  to  his  industry  and  immense  ac- 
quirements. 

Together  with  his  brother-in-law.  Prof  Dr.  Moritz 
Lazarus,  Steinthal  began  to  edit  the  Journal  of  Na- 
tional Psychology  and  Philology.  In  National  Psy- 
chology a  new  theme  was  given  to  scholars  to  work 
upon ;  viz :  the  consideration  of  the  development 
and  manifestations  of  the  spirit  of  a  people,  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  psychologic  features  of  an  indi- 
vidual. To  this  day  the  publication  referred  to,  holds 
sway  respecting  matters  connected  with  its  object. 

Only  a  few  of  Steinthal's  works  can  be  named,  it 
being  beyond  our  present  province  to  review  the  topics 
the  Professor  discusses  with  great  depth.  Suffice  that 
their  author  is  confessedly  regarded  as  an  authority. 
"  Classification  of  Languages,"  a  production  of  rare 
excellence,  appeared  in  1850;  "The  Origin  of  Lan- 
guage," with  respect  to  late  theories  on  all  sciences, 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  335 

in  1 85 1;  "The  Development  of  Writing,"  in  1852; 
"  Grammar,  Logic,  Psychology,"  their  principles,  and 
relations  to  each  other,  in  1855  ;  "  History  of  Philology 
among  the  Greeks,"  in  1863;  and  "Synopsis  of  the 
Science  of  Language,"  in  1871.  Besides  a  large  num- 
ber of  other  writings,  Prof.  Steinthal  has  contributed, 
to  different  periodicals,  articles,  clear  and  expressive 
in  style,  and  conveying  profound  ideas.  The  disputes 
which  the  Professor  has  had  with  Whitney  and  other 
scholars,  have  also  tended  to  heighten  his  reputation. 
As  a  Jew,  it  is  said  Professor  Steinthal  does  not 
take  a  prominent  part  in  religious  affairs,  albeit  he 
adheres  firmly  to  the  cardinal  points  of  his  faith,  and 
shows  an  attachment  to  some  of  the  ceremonial 
tenets,  the  observance  of  which  distinguishes  his 
fellow-believers  from  the  rest  of  mankind. 


JUDAH    TOURO. 

Philadelphia  possesses  a  building  known  as  the 
Hebrew  Education  Society's  School,  where  children 
are  taught  the  language  of  the  Scriptures.  In  the 
main  room  is  to  be  seen  a  tablet  on  which  is  re- 
counted the  good  done  that  institution  by  a  benev- 
olent co-religionist.  But  this  same  sight  meets  the 
eye  in  nearly  every  chief  city  of  the  Union.  Who 
was  he  that  Americans  of  the  olden  faith  delight  to 
honor  ?     Did  he  surpass  his  contemporaries  in  know- 


336  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

ledge,  or  did  he  make  his  power  felt  in  the  Fed- 
eral government?  These  questions  which  naturally 
suggest  themselves,  are  answered  by  the  simple 
mention  of  one  word, — Philanthropy.  The  exercise 
of  that  virtue  in  its  full  sense,  has  given  Judah 
Touro  eternity  in  the  memory  of  his  fellow-citizens 
of  all  creeds. 

Judah  Touro  was  born  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,, 
on  June  1 6th,  1775.  His  father,  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Touro,  had  emigrated  from  Holland.  At  that  time 
a  highly  respected  congregation  of  Portuguese  Jews 
flourished  at  Newport.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Touro  was 
chosen,  in  1762,  Hazan,  or  Minister,  of  those 
Americans. 

Judah  did  not  remain  in  his  native  city,  but 
removed  to  Boston,  and  engaged  in  business  with 
his  maternal  uncle,  Moses  Hays,  in  whose  employ 
he  sailed  to  the  Mediterranean  in  1798,  as  super- 
cargo of  a  vessel.  During  the  voyage,  the  offi- 
cer distinguished  himself  by  a  successful  engage- 
ment with  a  French  privateer.  In  1802  Touro  defi- 
nitely settled  at  New  Orleans,  and  became  a 
merchant  of  commanding  wealth,  acquired  through 
industry  and  thriftiness.  Pending  the  war  with 
Great  Britain,  he,  obeying  his  patriotic  impulses, 
enlisted  as  a  volunteer  in  the  American  army 
under  General  Jackson,  at  New  Orleans.  On  Jan- 
uary   1st,    181 5,    he   received   wounds    of    so    severe 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  337 

a  nature  that  his-  body  was  left  almost  lifeless 
on  the  battle-field.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
bravery  and  unremitting  attention  of  a  Christian, 
Rezin  Davis  Shepherd,  he  might  not  have  recov- 
ered. Mr.  Touro  had  a  memory  on  which  the 
record  of  favors  was  chiseled  as  on  marble.  He  did 
not  forget  the  humane  services  of  his  non-Israelite 
friend.  So  intense  was  the  affection  cherished  for 
his  deliverer,  that  on  his  death  he  bequeathed 
to  him  the  residue  of  his  property,  amounting  to> 
an    immense   sum. 

But  Mr.  Touro's  liberality  to  him  who  saved 
his  life  when  exposed  to  imminent  danger,  did 
not  cover  the  entire  range  of  his  benevolence. 
Considering  how  vast  this  was,  he  may  be  styled 
the  Montefiore  of  America.  Institutions  of  all  kinds 
owe  the  generous  man  a  debt  of  gratitude,  for 
endowments  which  enable  them  to  alleviate  misery, 
or  to  foster  education.  Families  and  individuals 
constantly  felt  the  effects  of  his  inherent  kindness. 
An  admirable  trait  evinced,  was  the  unsectarian 
distribution  of  charity,  while  the  donor  ever  contin- 
ued a  strict  adherent  to  the  principles  of  his  faith. 
The  Congregation,  Nefutzote  Jehudah,  (Dispersed  of 
Judah),  of  New  Orleans,  and  other  Synagogues  and 
churches,  recognize  Touro  as  their  founder  and  sup- 
porter. It  would  be  an  impossibility  to  enumerate 
all   the   acts    of    munificent    beneficence    performed 


33$  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

by  Judah  Touro.  But  it  is  not  inappropriate  to 
say — when  Jews  are  declared  incapable  of  any 
sentiment  above  racial  clannishness — that  the  Jew 
Touro  donated  ten  thousand  dollars  towards  the 
erection  of  the  Bunker-Hill  Monument,  intended 
to  commemorate  the  second  battle  fought  for 
American 'freedom.  Cities  besides  New  Orleans,  have 
reason  to  connect  his  name  with  the  sentence  of  the 
Scriptures,  **  The  memory  of  the  righteous  is  a 
blessing." 

The  private  character  of  Mr.  Touro  was  untainted. 
Simplicity,  unostentation,  and  courtesy, — qualities  al- 
ways reflected  in  the  deeds  of  a  true  philanthropist, — 
found  a  bright  exponent  in  the  subject  of  our  sketch. 

Mr.  Touro's  eventful  life  terminated  on  January 
1 8th,  1854,  in  the  city  of  New.  Orleans.  His  re- 
mains were  brought  to  Newport,  followed  by  a  long 
cortege  of  eminent  co-religionists  and  Christians. 
They  were  permanently  interred  in  the  Jewish  cem- 
etery, so  touchingly  described  by  the  poet  Longfel- 
low, and  for  the  preservation  of  which  the  honored 
dead  had  made  ample  provision. 

As  Judah  Touro  regarded  his  opulence  as  a  trust 
from  above,  and  employed  it  to  strengthen  the 
foundations  of  society,  by  encouraging  religion  and 
morality,  he  was,  in  very  deed,  a  faithful  servant 
of  his  Maker. 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  339 

EMANUEL    VENEZIANI. 

There  is  a  man — a  native  of  Munich — who  can  lay 
an  undisputed  claim  to  the  exalted  title  of  bene- 
factor. Baron  de  Hirsch  acquired  his  vast  wealth 
through  railroad  operations.  How  does  he  apply  it  ? 
Let  thousands  of  unfortunates  of  the  human  race  tell ! 
During  the  late  Turco-Russian  war  he  signalized  him- 
self by  deeds  which  will  ever  shine  brighter  than  all 
the  decorations  conferred  on  him  by  royalty.  Yet,  it 
is  to  his  renowned  almoner,  Chevalier  Veneziani,  that 
this  sketch  is  devoted,  acting,  as  we  do,  on  the  Tal- 
mudical  axiom,  that  "  he  who  is  the  instrument  in 
doing  good,  is  even  greater  than  he  who  supplies  the 
means." 

Emanuel  Veneziani  was  born  at  Leghorn, 
Italy,  in  July,  1826.  The  child  of  parents  in  the 
humblest  condition  of  life,  he  had  often  to  depend 
upon  the  kindness  of  friends  to  satisfy  hunger.  When 
still  young  he  was  seized  with  an  alarming  disease, 
from  which,  however,  he  soon  recovered  through  the 
tender  care  of  a   family  that  loved  him. 

Veneziani  attended  the  Jewish  free  schools,  and 
his  talents  developed  fast.  A  key  to  the  leading  sen- 
timents of  the  youth's  heart  was  the  following  inci- 
dent :  Several  pupils  were  competing  for  a  prize, 
he  among  the  number.  Veneziani  won  it,  but 
he    insisted    on    sharing    it  with   three    of  his    class- 


340  EMINENT   ISRAELITES    OF 

mates  who  had  nearly  come  up  to  his  standard. 
This  generosity  pleased  the  directors  of  the  seminary, 
and  the  action  of  the  Jewish  lad  of  Leghorn  was 
mentioned  with  due  praise  in  a  magazine  published  at 
Florence. 

Veneziani  pursued  his  studies  with  success,  under 
different  preceptors,  and  commenced  very  early  to  im- 
part privately  what  he  had  learned  at  public  institu- 
tions. But  in  1846,  an  Italian  family, — whose  head, 
Dr.  M.  Allatini,  has  since  become  famous  from  his  con- 
nection with  the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle, — 
determined  to  settle  at  Salonica,  and  to  engage  the 
Leghorn  young  man  as  tutor.  It  was  at  that  city 
that  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Camondos,  the 
opulent  bankers.  His  knowledge,  discernment,  and 
high  character,  secured  for  him  the  position  of  pri- 
vate secretary  of  that  celebrated  Turkish  firm.  He 
settled  at  Constantinople  in  1854,  and  utilized  the  in- 
fluence which  his  office  lent  him  in  founding  savings- 
banks,  and  charity  associations.  Considering  Masonry 
a  powerful  element  of  liberalization,  he  instituted  nu- 
merous lodges  of  that  Order.  He,  moreover,  estab- 
lished hospitals,  and  homes  for  the  destitute,  and  took 
active  part  in  everything  that  might  promote  the 
general  welfare.  The  heroism  he  displayed  in  stak- 
ing his  own  life,  during  a  disastrous  fire,  to  save 
many  from  being  burnt  to  death,  made  his  name 
famous  throughout  Italy. 


THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY.  34 1 

The  labors  of  Veneziani  were  not  forgotten  by  his 
native  country.  The  King  of  Italy,  Victor  Emanuel 
IL,  having  heard  of  the  brave  conduct  of  one  of  his 
subjects,  sent  him  a  double  decoration  with  expres- 
sions of  royal  approval.  The  Chevalier  found  special 
favor  with  the  Government  of  Turkey,  and  on  more 
than  one  occasion  he  pleaded  successfully  in  behalf 
of  his  unhappy  fellow-believers,  and  obtained  for  them 
privileges  before  denied. 

But  Veneziani's  ceaseless  activity  has  best  been 
shown  in  the  promotion  of  the  grand  object  aimed  at 
by  the  Alliance.  For  he  created  branches  of  that  or- 
ganization, formed  committees,  established  schools, 
animated  teachers,  encouraged  pupils,  and,  enjoying 
the  implicit  confidence  of  Baron  de  Hirsch,  distributed 
large  sums  to  aid  the  cause  of  humanity,  freedom,  and 
enlightenment.  Millions  of  francs  were  expended 
through  the  almoner  of  the  noble  philanthropist  to 
bring  the  homeless  under  shelter,  to  cover  the 
shivering  limbs  of  the  aged  and  infirm,  and  of 
children  fleeing  from  the  bereaving  sword,  to  afford 
food  to  the  body  and  the  mind. 

The  good  work  still  goes  on ;  Veneziani  planning 
noble  acts  and  De  Hirsch  practically  approving  of 
them  by  wonderful  munificence.  May  the  world  see 
both  so  engaged  long  after  the  next  century  shall 
have  dawned. 


342  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

GUSTAV    WEIL. 

The  investigation  of  the  soil  upon  which  lan- 
guage was  born,  has  given  rise  to  the  science  of 
modern  philology.  The  philosophic  mind  casts  off 
the  chains  o£  Western  thought,  and  turns  to  seek 
for  the  hidden  treasures  of  the  Orient.  So  earnest 
has  been  the  spirit  manifested,  so  important  the 
discoveries  made,  that  nothing  short  of  personal  ob- 
servations in  Asia  and  Africa  will  satisfy  many  in- 
quirers. Among  this  class,  Gustav  Weil  stands 
preeminent. 

Prof.  Gustav  Weil  was  born  at  Sultzbach,  in 
Baden,  Germany,  April  24th,  1808.  The  Talmud 
gave  him  food  for  thought.  He  discovered  in  his 
nature  an  aptitude  for  philology  and  history,  and  to 
follow  up  the  study  of  those  two  elements  of  human 
learning,  he  went  to  Paris.  After  long  application, 
he  set  out  for  the  East,  in  order  to  grow  familiar 
with  the  languages  and  customs  of  the  nations  of 
that  portion  of  the  globe.  Of  the  cities  he  visited, 
Cairo  became  his  residence  for  five  years,  and  there 
he  acted,  not  simply  in  the  capacity  of  student, 
but  also  of  tutor  and  interpreter.  He  arrived 
home  in  1836,  having  mastered  the  Arabic,  Per- 
sian,  and   Turkish    languages. 

Weil  was  in  every  manner  eminently  fitted  for 
a   high   station.     Therefore,  the   very   same   year  of 


THE  NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  343 

his  return  to  Germany,  his  abilities  were  rewarded 
by  his  appointment  as  Assistant  Librarian  at  Heidel- 
berg. He  discharged  the  duties  of  this  office  with  effi- 
ciency and  zeal,  bringing  his  vast  theoretical  and  prac- 
tical knowledge  to  bear  upon  the  exercise  of  his 
important,  though  arduous,  functions.  In  1845  ne 
was  elevated  to  the  chair  of  Oriental  Languages 
in  the  University  of  Heidelberg,  a  position  to  which 
many   may   aspire,    but   few  can   attain. 

The  numerous  literary  productions  of  Prof. 
Weil  teem  with  erudition,  and  exhibit  ripe  judgment. 
Public  opinion  has  stamped  them  with  the  seal 
of  authority.  The  poetry  of  the  Arabs,  the  Koran, 
the  Biblical  legends  of  the  Mussulmen,  and  other 
topics  of  a  kindred  nature,  are  critically  discussed 
by  the  Professor.  There  appeared,  moreover,  a 
German  translation  of  "  The  Arabian  Nights,"  in 
four  volumes,. — 1837—41;  "Life  of  Mohammed," 
— 1843,  a  work  which  met  with  an  extremely 
favorable  reception,  by  reason  of  its  unparalleled 
comprehensiveness;  "  History  of  the  Caliphs,"  in 
five  volumes,  embracing  a  wide  sphere, — 1846-62; 
"  History  of  the  Mussulmen  Peoples,  from  Mo- 
hammed to  Sultan  Selim," — 1866;  and  a  biogra- 
phy of  Levi  Ben-Gerson,  the  celebrated  philosopher, 
—1869. 

Gustav     Weil    may    now     rest     on    his    laurels,, 
and   feel    contented    that   his    exertions>.  like   those 


344  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

of  his  illustrious  compeers  in  the  realms  of  Eastern 
thought,  have  compassed  the  object  which  inspired 
the  worker  with  unflagging  energy  and  untiring 
perseverance. 


NAPHTALI  HARTWIG  WESSELY. 

Could  the  man  who  gave  new  life  and  spirit 
to  Judaism  in  Europe,  appear  here  by  right  of 
chronology;  could  he,  whose  intellectual  might  drew 
Hebrews  out  of  obscurity  and  isolation,  have  a 
place  in  this  work  as  a  contemporary,  his  name 
would  embellish  and  ornament  our  series.  But 
Moses  Mendelssohn,  the  philosopher,  the  sage,  and 
the  author,  did  not  live  to  see  the  age  in  which 
we  live.  Wessely,  the  admirer  and  faithful  co- 
laborer  of  the  Socrates  of  Dessau,  though  not 
strictly  of  our  own  days,  crossed  the  threshold 
of  this  century.  This  fact  will  justify  the  presen- 
tation of  his  character,  so  that  his  services  may 
be    depicted,   and    his    memory   venerated. 

Naphtali  Hartwig  (or,  as  he  is  sometimes  called, 
Herz)  Wessely  was  born  at  Hamburg,  Germany, 
in  1725.  He  was  a  descendant  of  a  Polish  family, 
almost  annihilated  by  the  Cossacks  in  1648,  and 
of  whose  members  only  one,  named  Joseph,  effected 
an  escape  from  the  slaughter.  This  refugee  wan- 
dered   through  several    European  countries, — a   prey 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  345 

to  misery.  At  last  he  settled  at  Amsterdam, 
Holland,  where  liberty  flourished.  One  of  his  sons, 
Moses,  established  himself  at  Wesel,  where  he  as- 
sumed the  name  of  Wessely  or  Wesel,  from  the 
city  in  which  he  resided.  Moses  soon  acquired  a 
large  fortune,  as  a  contractor  for  supplies  to  dif- 
ferent governments.  His  second  son,  Berend,  the 
father  of  Hartwig,  also  came  into  the  possession  of 
considerable  means,  and  these  he  liberally  used  to 
educate  his  child,  whom  he  had  destined  for  a  Rabbi. 
Eagerness  for  learning  fastened  the  mind  of 
young  Wessely  to  his  books.  First,  he  received 
some  instruction  from  his  mother ;  then,  at  the  age 
of  five  years,  he  was  sent  to  the  Academy  of  his 
native  place,  where  teaching  was  confined  simply  to 
Talmudical  lore.  Wessely  himself  narrates  that  dur- 
ing full  four  years  he  continued  this  study,  without 
knowing  aught  of  the  Scriptures.  Fortunately,  in 
his  tenth  year,  the  youth  became  acquainted  with 
an  individual  who  imparted  the  rudiments  of  gram- 
mar, and  the  knowledge  of  that  essential  branch 
enabled  the  pupil  to  read  the  Bible  with  ease  in  its 
original  tongue,  and  to  apply  himself  profitably  to  other 
Hebrew  works.  With  the  aid  of  a  chart,  which  his 
father  showed  him,  Wessely,  in  three  days,  obtained 
an  insight  into  geography.  At  thirteen,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Amsterdam,  to  complete  his  studies. 
Notwithstanding    the    attention    he    was    obliged    to 


34-6  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

give  to  theology,  he  still  found  spare  moments  to- 
devote  to  the  German,  French,  Danish,  and  Dutch 
languages,  and  to  mathematics,  physics,  history,  geog- 
raphy, and  the  sciences.  The  zeal  with  which  he 
labored,  coupled  with  quickness  of  comprehension, 
promised    a   brilliant   future. 

Wessely,  on  reaching  manhood,  had  the  un- 
happiness  of  seeing  all  his  father's  wealth  suddenly 
swept  away.  That  melancholy  event  compelled  the 
scholar  to  enter  as  clerk  in  the  commercial 
house  of  Benjamin  Feitel,  at  Amsterdam.  The  voca- 
tion was  uncongenial,  but  this  did  not  dampen 
his  ardor  for  literary  pursuits,  and  in  the  hours 
of  the  night  he  worked  at  what  served  to  establish 
his  reputation.  At  the  same  time  he  gained 
much  favor  with  his  employer,  and,  through  the 
influence  of  the  brother  of  the  latter,  he  was,  in 
1774,  placed  at  the  head  of  the  house  in  Berlin, 
Prussia.  While  constantly  engaged  in  business, 
in  order  Jo  obtain  a  livelihood,  he  never  aban- 
doned his  cherished  purpose, — to  elevate  Judaism 
by   his   literary   efforts. 

The  works  of  Wessely  are  so  numerous  that 
it  is  impossible  to  mention  them  all,  or  in  the 
order  they  came  out ;  but  slight  allusions  will  be 
made  to  the  origin  of  some,  and  others  will  be 
merely  named.  Before  proceeding  further,  however, 
it   must   be   stated,    that   the    failure    of    the   house 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  347 

of  Feitel,  in  1779,  put  an  end  to  Wessely's  ca- 
reer as  a  merchant,  and  reduced  him  pecuniarily 
to  such  a  strait  that,  to  relieve  him,  a  class  for 
Scriptural  tuition  was  formed  by  young  Israelites. 
They  appointed  him  Professor,  with  a  salary  suffi- 
cient for  the  maintenance  of  his  family.  This 
acted  as  a  greater  stimulus  to  his  endeavors  in 
the  field  of  Hebrew   literature. 

Wessely's  first  production,  Sepher  Gan  Naool, 
and  Lebanon,  in  two  volumes,  appeared  in  1764 
and  1765.  It  treats  principally  of  Hebrew  syno- 
nyms, and  evinces  great  Biblical  and  Rabbinical 
knowledge.  In  1774  was  published  Yen  Lebanon, 
a  comment  on  "  The  Ethics  of  the  Fathers,"  which 
attracted  much  notice,  and  of  which  an  English  ren- 
dition was  made  for  the  Hebrew  Review,  by  Dr.  M. 
J.  Raphall.  "  The  (Apochryphal)  Book  of  Wisdom," 
by  Solomon,  he  translated  into  Hebrew,  adding  an 
exposition,  styled,  Ruah  Hen.  In  1785  he  issued 
Sepher  Hanimidoth,  on  morals.  Commentaries  on  the 
Pentateuch,  and  on  other  sacred  writings  were 
brought  to  light  at  different  times.  But  the  most 
celebrated  of  all  Wessely's  works,  is  an  epic  poem, 
in  eighteen  cantos,  Shire  Tifereth.  It  treats  of  the 
birth  and  mission  of  Moses,  as  far  as  the  delivery 
of  the  Decalogue.  That  emanation  of  genius  has 
been  rendered  into  several  European  languages,  thus 
widening    and    enhancing    the    fame    of    the    author. 


348  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

The  elegance  of  diction,  as  well  as  the  beauty  of 
expression  and  depth  of  sentiment  pervading  it, 
tend  to  make  the  poem  both  instructive  and  charm- 
ing to  the  lover  of  Hebrew  verse.  Three  years 
were  spent  in  its  preparation.  Wessely  also  wrote 
about  the  Jews  of  Cochin-China,  several  vindica- 
tions of  Rabbinical  traditions,  and  many  other 
works,  including  contributions  to  Hebrew  journals, 
both    in    prose   and    in    poetry. 

But  Wessely  will  always  hold  a  place  in  the 
hearts  of  true  Hebrews,  for  reasons  higher  than 
those  which  endeared  him  as  a  sweet  writer  of 
the  sacred  language.  He  was  a  healthful  reformer. 
Indeed,  he  is  second  only  to  Mendelssohn  in  the 
history  of  modern  Judaism,  as  far  as  it  regards  the 
creation  of  a  new  system  of  education.  In  1782 
he  addressed  his  Dibre  Shalom  Veemeth  ( Words  of 
Peace  and  Truth)  to  the  Hebrews  of  Austria,  in 
which  the  liberal  spirit  of  Joseph  II.,  whom  he  com- 
pared to  Cyrus,  is  extolled.  He  spoke  of  the  lack 
of  knowledge  prevailing  among  Jews,  in  everything 
unconnected  with  the  mere  disputations  of  Talmud, 
and  some  casuistical  works.  Attributing  it  to  the 
very  defective  manner  in  which  the  young  were 
trained,  he  advised  a  complete  reform.  No  sooner 
had  this  letter  of  Wessely's  become  known,  than  he 
encountered  a  storm  of  abuse.  The  writer  was  pub- 
licly denounced  as  an  opponent  of  religious  instruc- 


THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  349 

tion,  as  a  seducer  trying  to  wean  away  the  young 
in  Israel  from  the  Law  and  traditions,  and,  blackened 
as  such,  some  dared  to  hurl  an  anathema  at  him. 
But  the  Rabbis  of  Italy  came  to  his  rescue,  and 
conclusively  proved  that  Wessely  was  acting  in  per- 
fect accord  with  the  directions  of  the  ancient  Rabbis, 
and  with  the  plan  always  followed  in  Italy.  The 
educational  movement  gained  ground,  despite  the 
sturdy  opposition,  and  the  Jews  of  Europe  are  to- 
day much  indebted  for  their  intellectual  improve- 
ment to  the  manifold  services  of  Naphtali  Hartwig 
Wessely. 

The  3d  of  March,  1805,  closed  the  career  of 
one  who  prepared  the  way  for  Rapoport,  Zunz, 
and  all  that  host  of  brilliant  scholars  who  have 
rendered  the  nineteenth  century  a  golden  era; 
whose  achievements  will  be  sung  by  generations 
yet   unborn. 

ISAAC  MAYER  WISE. 

In  casting  a  glance  at  the  career  of  one  who  fig- 
ures very  conspicuously  among  American  Rabbis,  it 
may  not  be  inappropriate  to  advert  to  the  progress 
of  Reform  in  this  country.  For  the  divine  about  to 
be  spoken  of,  has  been  closely  identified  with  that 
movement.  All  are,  doubtless,  aware  that  changes  in 
the  Jewish  ritual  in  America  were  effected  gradually. 


350  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

The  first  minister  in  the  United  States  who  advo- 
cated innovations  was  the  Rev.  Gustavus  Posznanski, 
of  the  Congregation  Beth  Elohim,  of  Charleston, 
South  Carolina.  Over  thirty-five  years  ago  he  in- 
troduced an  Organ  into  the  Synagogue.  This  act 
met  with  strenuous  opposition,  and  finally  caused  a 
division  in  that  body.  But,  supported  by  a  large 
number  of  his  flock,  the  Pastor  succeeded  in  main- 
taining his  stand.  Several  alterations  in  the  form  of 
worship,  which  gave  it  a  novel  appearance,  were 
adopted.  Still,  Mr.  Posznanski  proceeded  cautiously, 
not  venturing  too  far.  He  may  have  feared  that 
radical  measures  would  jeopardize  the  permanence 
of  the  Jewish  Church.  At  all  events,  others  stepped 
boldly  forth,  took  rapid  strides,  and,  .to  judge  from 
the  present  outlook,  they  have  reached  a  point  which 
a  near  future  will  tell  whether  it  is  to  be  deemed 
a  pinnacle  or  a  precipice.  But  to  the  main  subject. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  Mayer  Wise  was  born  at 
Steingrub,  in  Bohemia,  Austria,  on  the  3d  of  April, 
1 8 19.  Until  his  eighteenth  year  he  studied  little 
besides  Talmud.  After  a  course  of  secular  instruction 
at  Prague,  to  which  was  added  a  grammatical  un- 
derstanding of  the  language  of  Holy  Writ,  he  entered 
the  University  of  Vienna,  graduating  in  1843.  ^n 
the  same  year  he  was  appointed  Rabbi  in  Radnitz, 
Bohemia,  where  he  remained  till  1846.  At  that  stage 
of  his  life  Dr.  Wise    resolved  to  come  to  the  United 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  35  I 

States.  He  arrived  in  New  York,  and  up  to  1850,  min- 
istered to  the  Beth-El  Congregation  of  Albany,  and 
from  that  year  to  1854  to  the  Ansh'e  Emethy  of  the 
same  city. 

During  that  period  the  Doctor  evinced  consider- 
able interest  in  Jewish  matters.  He  contributed  to 
The  Occident  and  American  Jewish  Advocate,  of  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Leeser,  and  editorially  assisted  Robert 
Lyon,  Esq.,  in  the  management  of  The  Asmonean. 
But  what  has  made  Dr.  Wise's  name  a  household 
word  among  the  Jewish  public  in  this  land,  is  his 
bold  defence  of  the  Reform  system.  He  has  preached, 
written,  and  travelled  in  behalf  of  the  ideas  espoused. 
His  marked  individuality,  strong  opinions,  and  forci- 
ble expressions,  led  the  B'nai  Jeshurun  Congrega- 
tion, of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  to  secure  his  services  as  its 
leader,  in  1854.  The  popularity  which  the  Rabbi  en- 
joys was  lately  made  apparent  at  the  celebration  of 
the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  his  installation. 

Dr.  Wise  declined  the  offer  of  a  more  remunera- 
tive station  in  the  East,  so  that  he  might  retain  the 
influence  he  commands  in  the  West.  For,  notwith- 
standing the  decided  antagonism  he  has  encountered 
in  the  views  which  he  restlessly  advances,  his  power 
has  widely  extended.  Gentiles,  not  less  than  Hebrews, 
know  the  Cincinnati  Rabbi  by  his  literary  labors. 

In  July,  1854,  Dr.  Wise  brought  forth  a  journal 
which  became  the  principal  instrument  of  his  strength. 


352  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

It  appears  weekly,  under  the  name  of  The  Ameri- 
can Israelite.  A  German  supplement  called  Die  De- 
borah, has  also  been  regularly  issued  since  July,  1855. 
In  the  many  cities  which  the  Doctor  has  visited,  and 
in  the  numerous  Synagogues  he  has  been  called  upon 
to  consecrate,  he  has  urged  with  much  earnestness, 
the  adoption  of  his  formulary  of  prayers,  entitled 
Minhag  America. 

The  comprehensive  plan  devised  and  set  on  foot 
in  the  West  about  seven  years  ago,  and  known  as. 
The  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations,  which 
includes  a  large  number  of  Jewish  congregations,  from 
the  borders  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  owes  its 
origin  to  the  unremitting  exertions  of  Dr.  Wise.  That 
organization  has  established  The  Hebrew  Union  Col- 
lege, at  Cincinnati,  for  the  education  of  future  Rab- 
bis, and  a  preparatory  school  in  New  York  City. 
Since  the  opening  of  the  Seminary  proper,  the  Doctor 
has  been  President  of  the  Faculty,  and  he  still  con- 
tinues his  unflagging  efforts  to  promote  the  cause. 

Despite  advancing  age,  the  Rabbi  fulfils  his  minis- 
terial functions  with  unabated  vigor,  and  -occupies, 
the  editorial  chair  with  no  indications  of  faintness.. 
For  he  speaks  from  it  in  sentences,  which,  if  not 
always  carefully  chosen,  show  extreme  eagerness  to 
repel  attacks  and  to  defeat  the  opposite  camp. 

Dr.  Wise  has  found  time  to  indite  a  number  of 
literary  works.     "  History  of  the  Israelitish  Nation,"" 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  353 

in  which  the  author  presents  facts  in  accordance  with 
his  own  preconceived  notions,  came  out  in  1854. 
It  has  been  followed  by  "  Essence  of  Judaism,"  and 
"  Judaism,  its  Doctrines  and  Duties," — religious  cate- 
chisms. Other  productions  of  his  pen  are :  "  The 
Martyrdom  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  in  which  he  aims 
to  prove  that  the  Jews  had  no  hand  whatever  in 
the  Crucifixion ;  "  The  Cosmic  God,"  treating  of 
fundamental  philosophy,  and  exhibiting  depth  of 
thought  and  a  vast  acquaintance  with  the  schools  of 
modern  science ;  "  Three  Lectures  on  Jesus,  the 
Apostles,  and  Paul  ;rr  "  The  Wandering  Jew,"  a  lec- 
ture on  that  fabulous  being,  intended  to  dispel  pre- 
vailing errors  ;  and  "  History  of  the  Hebrews'  Second 
Commonwealth,"-  which  has  just  come  from  the 
press. 

The  reader  has  thus  been  given  a  brief  narrative 
of  the  doings  of  a  man  whose  name  will  ever  be 
prominently  connected  with  the  history  of  American 
Judaism.  The  industry  and  indomitable  zeal  with 
which  Dr.  Wise  prosecutes  his  various  designs  will 
secure  his  popularity,  and,  if  the  project  of  training 
future  Rabbis  in  the  West  succeeds,  he  will 
have  drawn  towards  himself  a  still  larger  number 
of  staunch  followers. 


354  EMINENT    ISRAELITES   OF 

•    ■ 

SIMON   WOLF. 

Of  all  countries,  free  America  has  ever  shown  a 
•generous  recognition  of  human  worth.  An  indivi- 
dual may  be  of  humble  extraction ;  he  may  have 
been  early  compelled  to  drudge  for  a  livelihood.  But 
let  him  watch  over  his  character,  and  utilize  his  ta- 
lents, and  he  may  feel  certain  of  reaping  here  a 
commensurate  reward.  A  man  who  brought  neither 
high  lineage  nor  wealth  to  bear  on  the  attaining  of  a 
creditable  position,  but  who  owes  the  name  acquired 
solely  to  his  own  exertions,  is  the  Israelite,  Simon 
Wolf.  He  may  rightly  be  styled  "  a  self-made  man," 
employing  his  inherent  capacities  in  the  direction 
which  leads  to  personal  and  social  advantage. 

Simon  Wolf  was  born  in  Rhenish  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, on  October  28th,  1836.  When  not  twelve 
years  of  age  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and 
was  employed  by  his  uncle  in  Ulrichville,  Ohio, 
first,  as  office-boy,  and  later  as  cashier  in  the 
business  house  of  that  relative.  The  .occupations  of 
the  day  left  no  opening  for  the  lad  to  improve  his 
mind,  but  he  devoted  the  night  to  hard  study,  and 
this  was  the  key  to  his  success  in  after  years.  In 
1855  his  uncle  retired  from  the  business  in  the 
aforenamed  locality,  and  Mr.  Wolf  undertook  it. 
But  in  1857  he  succumbed,  with  many  others,  to  the 
financial  crisis,  then  prevailing  throughout  the  coun- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  355 

try.  Giving  up  commercial  pursuits,  he  adopted  the 
legal  profession,  being  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Ohio,  on 
July  20th,  1 86 1,  where  he  obtained  a  lucrative 
practice. 

In  June,  1862,  Mr.  Wolf  removed  to  Washington, 
his  present  home,  and  became  the  senior  member 
of  the  law-firm  of  Wolf  &  Hart.  As  such,  he  soon 
gained  a  wide  reputation.  His  lively  interest  in  poli- 
tics was  specially  evinced  during  the  late  rebellion. 
Ardent  in  his  support  of  the  Northern  cause,  loud 
in  his  expressions  of  faith  in  Republican  institutions, 
he  became  well-known  to  those  in  power.  Enjoying 
the  friendship  of  President  Grant,  he  was  appointed 
Recorder  of  Deeds  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  a 
responsible  post,  which  he  filled  with  honor  for  nine 
years.  On  his  vacating  that  office,  Mr.  Wolf  returned 
to  the  practice  of  the  law,  and  his  advice  is  sought  for 
by  a  large  number  of  clients,  even  beyond  the  city  of 
his  residence. 

It  becomes  us  now  to  refer  to  Mr.  Wolfs  services 
to  Judaism.  Aside  from  his  endeavors  during  the 
war,  to  induce  the  retraction  of  General  Grant's 
hasty  and  unjust  "  Order  No.  11,"  directed  against 
the  Jews,  he  urged  the  United  States  Government 
to  interpose  in  behalf  of  the  down-trodden  Jews  of 
Russia  and  Roumania.  His  representations  carried 
with  them  great  weight,  in  securing  the  appointment 
of  Mr.  Peixotto,  as  Consul  at  Bucharest,  and   in  re- 


356  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

taining  him  there,  as  a  restraint  upon  the  persecutors 
of  our  race. 

Mr.  Wolfs  multifarious  labors  in  associations 
with  which  he  is,  or  has  been,  connected,  are  clear 
evidences  of  his  earnestness.  He  was  prominent  in 
the  Board  of  Delegates  of  American  Israelites;  he 
presided  over  the  deliberations  of  the  annual  Council 
of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations,, 
held  in  Washington,  in  July  1876;  he  was  Chairman 
of  the  Yellow  Fever  Relief  Committee,  during  the 
plague  in  the  Southern  States,  in  the  summer  of  1878  ; 
he  is  an  important  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  B'nai  B'rith,  and  acted  as  presiding  officer  of 
the  Chicago  convention  of  1874,  and  of  that  of  Phila- 
delphia, in  January,  1879.  Mr.  Wolf  has  been  Presi- 
dent of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the  Order  of  K'esher 
Shel  Barzel.  Our  co-religionist  is  the  chosen  chief  of 
the  Schiller  Bund,  a  literary  society  of  the  Capital. 
For  eight  years  he  has  been  President  of  the  Wash- 
ington Schuetzen  Verein,  and  of  the  Orphan  Asy- 
lum,   of  District  Grand    Lodge,  Ne.  5. 

As  an  orator,  Mr.  Wolf  is  very  impressive  and 
effective.  Of  his  lectures,  "  The  Influence  of  the 
Jews  on  the  Progress  of  the  World,"  "  Roger  Wil- 
liams," and  "  The  Stage  and  fetors,"  are  the  most 
notable.  But  he  has  spoken  on  various  other  topics, 
exhibiting  in  every  instance  a  right  understanding  ot 
current  events. 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  357 

Of  Mr.  Wolfs  attachment  to  his  fellow-believers, 
let  his  own  words  speak  :  "  I  have  had  but  one  am- 
bition in  my  life,  and  that  has  been  to  ennoble  and 
elevate  my  people,  and  to  that  end  I  have  not 
spared  time,  influence  or  means,  and  I  shall  not  cease 
to  labor  in  the  same  direction,  desiring  no  other 
epitaph  than  the  one,  '  He  was  a  Jew,  and  was  proud 
of  it.' " 

We  could  add  nothing  to  this  noble  sentiment, 
save  the  wish  that  our  Jewish  youth,  adopting  it  as 
their  own,  may  exemplify  it  in  their  lives. 

HENRY   de    WORMS. 

Courage,  self-reliance  and  endurance  are  indis- 
pensable aids  in  the  pursuit  of  every  undertaking. 
By  the  exercise  of  these  qualities,  obstacles  will  be 
overcome,  and  success  will  crown  one's  efforts.  A 
fellow-believer  who  has  endeared  himself  to  thou- 
sands by  his  moral  bravery,  is  the  illustrious  Baron 
de  Worms.  The  spirit  of  a  Cremieux  dwells  within 
him,  for  whenever  oppression  aims  a  blow  at  his 
brethren  he  manifests  a  burning  wish  to  come  to 
the  rescue,  and  chastise  iniquity.  His  voice,  his 
means,  and  his  influence  are  free-will  offerings  on 
the  altar  of  humanity. 

Baron  Henry  de  Worms  was  born  at  London, 
England,    in    1840.      His    father   had    been   created 


358  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Baron  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  and  to  that  hereditary- 
title  the  son  succeeded.  The  education  afforded  him 
at  King's  College  of  his  native  city  was  thorough 
ough,  and  he  obtained  the  highest  academical  degrees, 
being  elected  a  Fellow  of  that  institution  in  1863. 
For  a  decade  he  served  as  Captain  of  the  King's 
College  Company  of  the  Queen's  Westminster  Rifle 
Volunteers,  hence  the  skill  for  which  he  is  dis- 
tinguished as  a  marksman. 

Baron  de  Worms  was  called  to  the  Bar,  at 
the  Inner  Temple,  in  1863,  and  he  practised  for  some 
time  on  the  Home  Circuit.  The  death  of  an  elder 
brother  induced  him,  however,  to  abandon  the  legal 
profession,  and,  in  1865,  he  entered  as  a  partner  in 
the  firm  of  Messrs.  G.  &  A.  Worms,  of  Austin  Friars. 

The  Baron  is  a  Magistrate  and  Deputy-Lieutenant 
for  Middlesex.  His  proclivities,  which  are  with  the 
Conservative  wing,  led  him  to  become  a  candidate 
for  Parliament,  from  Deal,  at  the  general  election 
in.  1868.  Though  not  chosen*  he  did  not  sink  into 
inactivity.  He  works  on  with  a  will,  and  so  clearly- 
pronounced  is  his  political  creed  that  not  long  since  he 
received  a  request,  signed  by  nearly  seven  thousand 
electors  of  the  City  of  London,  to  stand  for  that 
constituency  in  the  coming  contest.  Yielding  to 
the  wishes  of  the  Government,  he  withdrew  in  the 
interest  of  the  party,  in  order  to  obviate  the  necessity 
of  the  candidacy  of  four    Conservatives.     But   lately 


THE   NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  359 

he  acceded  to  the  solicitations  of  an  influential 
deputation  from  the  Royal  Borough  of  Greenwich 
to  be  the  second  Conservative  candidate,  in  con- 
junction with  Mr.  Boord,  the  present  member. 
His  popularity  has  been  the  means  of  securing  his 
election  with  an  increased  majority. 

But  the  feature  in  the  character  of  Baron  de 
Worms  whereon  Jews  delight  to  gaze,  is  that  which 
discloses  his  loyalty  to  Judaism.  Immovable  in  his 
purpose  to  vindicate  the  title  of  his  brethren  to  equal 
justice,  he  challenged  civilization  to  explain  the  con- 
duct of  Bratiano,  Cogalniceano,  and  men  of  their  ilk 
in  Roumania.  The  Baron  acted  as  first  Vice- 
President  of  the  International  Convention  of.  Israel- 
ites, held  at  Paris,  in  1878,  where  his  mettle  was  put 
to  the  test.  To  speak  of  his  abhorrence  of 
compromises,  of  his  resolve  to  see  the  clause 
of  the  Treaty  of  Berlin,  affecting  civil  and  religious 
liberty,  literally  fulfilled,  would  be  to  say  what  is 
familiarly  known.  Some  may  not,  however,  be  aware 
of  his  genuine  enthusiasm,  of  his  keen  discernment, 
and  of  the  admirable  tact  displayed  on  that  occasion. 

Indeed,  Baron  de  Worms  is  indefatigable  in  what- 
ever may  promote  the  welfare  of  his  co-religionists. 
He  is  President  of  the  Anglo- Jewish  Association, — 
a  model  organization ;  and  President  of  the  Borough 
Jewish  Schools ;  also  a  Warden  of  the  Central  United 
Synagogue,  of  London. 


360  EMINENT   ISRAELITES   OF 

The  Baron  is  the  author  of  many  valuable  liter- 
ary productions.  Among  them  are  "  The  Earth  and 
its  Mechanism,"  and  "  The  Austro-Hungarian  Em- 
pire, and  England's  Policy  in  the  East."  The  last, 
published  in  1877,  passed  through  six  editions. 

As  will  have  been  noticed,  Baron  de  Worms  is 
but  forty  years  of  age.  The  great  name  he  has  built 
for  himself,  when  only  in  the  prime  of  life,  is  the  pledge 
of  a  grand  and  glorious  future.  Baron  Henry  de 
Worms  will  most  assuredly  continue  to  rise,  by  his 
advocacy  of  wise  and  beneficial  measures,  and  his 
efforts  will  be  attended  with  the  blessings  of  the 
entire  House  of  Israel. 


LEOPOLD    ZUNZ. 

The  sovereignty  of  the  Jewish  world  of  letters, 
in  the  nineteenth  century,  can  be  accorded  to  no 
one  of  the  noble  minds  that  aspire  to  the 
title  of  ruler.  Too  many  are  the  rival  claims  to 
that  position.  Let  us  rest  contented  with  the 
rich  fruits  we  can  gather  from  different  sources, 
and  bow  reverentially  to  the  glorious  laborers. 
Yet,  taking  all  in  all,  who  greater  than  Leopold 
Zunz?  Surely,  if  he  be  not  the  crowned  mon- 
arch of  Hebrew  lore,  he  is  a  mighty  prince,  to 
whom  generations  yet  unborn  will  pay  obeisance. 
As  an  interpreter  of  Synagogue  poetry,  deep  in  pa- 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  36 1 

thos  and  grand  in  diction,  he  is  unexcelled.  As  a 
critic,  Solomon  L.  Rapoport  may  divide  honors  with 
him.  But  as  a  general  scholar,  few  can  call  themselves 
his  peers,  and  scarcely  any  his  superior.  We  might 
seek  to  find  an  epithet  suiting  his  abilities,  and 
fail  in  our  endeavors.  Let  us  call  him  a  Titan, 
whose   intellect   towers    heavenward. 

Dr.  Leopold  Zunz  was  born  at  Detmold,  in 
the  principality  of  Lippe,  Germany,  on  the  idth 
of  August,  1794.  Preliminary  instruction  preceded 
his  studies  under  such  men  as  Wolf,  DeWette, 
and  Boekh,  at  Berlin.  The  young  pupil  followed 
up  his  course  with  great  diligence,  and  early  did 
the   flower   bloom. 

From  1820  to  1822  Zunz  officiated  as  preacher 
of  the  Jewish  Congregation  at  Berlin.  He  was 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  Spencfsche  Zeitung  from 
1824  to  1832,  and  principal  of  the  new  Jewish 
communal  school  from  1825  to  1829.  In  1835 
he  accepted  a  ministerial  call  from  Prague,  and 
from  1839  to  1850  he  directed  the  normal  sem- 
inary at  Berlin.  In  1845  ne  became  a  member 
of  a  commission  appointed  by  the  government  for 
devising  measures  to  improve  the  educational  and 
political   status   of  Hebrews   in   Prussia. 

It  is  our  main  desire  to  refer  to  Dr.  Zunz's  literary 
productions— for  it  is  to  these  that  he  owes  his  laurels. 
And   let     the    pertinent    remarks   of    the     Rev.    A. 


362  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Lbwy  be  quoted :  "  Dr.  Zunz  has  laid  a  solid 
foundation  for  the  proper  study  of  the  history  of 
Jewish  literature,  and  by  his  numerous  writings  he 
enables  his  readers  to  appreciate  the  intimate  con- 
nection between  the  political  vicissitudes,  the  in- 
tellectual and  emotional  cravings,  and  the  literary 
productions  of  the  Jews.  He  leads  the  student 
through  the  mazes  and  intricacies  of  a  widely 
scattered  literature,  with  unsurpassed  perseverance, 
with  unswerving  directness  of  purpose,  with  the 
accuracy  of  a  powerful  intuition ;  and  he  uses  an 
elegance  of  diction  which  may  be  termed  classi- 
cal, and  whereby  he  invests  even  didactic  and 
abstruse     matter     with  the    attractions   ol     poetry." 

The  Doctor's  first  important  work,  "  Something 
about  Rabbinical  Literature,"  appeared  in  1818. 
A  pamphlet  of  fifty  pages  which,  though  bearing 
a  title  by  no  means  high-sounding,  was  fraught 
with  learning  and  sagacious  counsel.  The  author 
administers  a  sharp  rebuke  to  scholars  who  at- 
tempt to  belittle  the  Jews,  by  drawing  comparisons 
between  Hebrew  and  contemporary  literature,  with- 
out knowing  aught  of  the  former,  and  he  urges  all  to 
divest  themselves  of  prejudice  and  personal  anti- 
pathies. 

In  1832  Dr.  Zunz  issued  his  "  Liturgical  Lessons 
of  the  Jews,  Historically  Investigated,"  to  which  he 
made  valuable  additions  in  1845,   l855>   ^59,   1864, 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  363 

and  1867.  In  this  work,  the  connection  of  the  Bible 
with  tradition,  the  development  of  the  different 
Chaldean  versions  of  Holy  Writ,  the  nature  of  the 
study  of  the  Scriptures,  the  divisions  of  ancient  Jew- 
ish learning,  and  other  points  are  severally  treated. 
A  production  of  so  wide  a  scope,  and  so  vastly  impor- 
tant in  each  department,  could  not  but  have  become 
the  text-book  in  many  an  institution  throughout 
Europe. 

The  pen  consecrated  to  literature  did  not  refuse 
its  office  to  avenge  wrongs.  The  Doctor  labored 
zealously  for  the  emancipation  of  his  German  co-re- 
ligionists ;  and  often  he  entered  an  energetic  protest 
against  actions  of  the  Government.  "  History  and 
Literature,"  another  of  his  emanations,  comprises  a 
number  of  essays,  of  which,  however,  only  the  first 
volume  has  come  forth — 1845.  It  *s  °f  special  interest 
to  students,  embodying  an  account  of  events  of 
different  Jewish  communities  at  different  periods. 
A  full  index  to  this  excellent  work  is  the  labor  of 
Dr.  David  Cassel. 

What  may  probably  be  considered  Dr.  Zunz's 
masterpiece  is  the  "  Synagogue  Poetry  during  the 
Middle  Ages,"  published  in  1855.  The  magnitude 
of  this  work  forbids  our  offering  more  than  a  simple 
notice  of  its  contents.  It  is  divided  into  five  sections. 
The  first  traces  the  origin  and  adaptation  of  the 
Divine   Service,  or   the    relation  of  the   Prophets   to 


364  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

the  Psalmists;  the  second  graphically  depicts  the 
sorrows  and  sufferings  of  the  Jews  in  the  various 
countries  of  their  dispersion ;  the  third  portrays  the 
nature  of  poetical  compositions,  notably  of  Spanish 
authors,  as  read  on  the  Day  of  Atonement ;  the 
fourth  gives  a  glowing  picture  of  the  poets  them- 
selves, including  those  of  Greece,  Italy,  Provence, 
France,  and  Spain,  and,  later,  Germany,  and  presents 
specimens  of  their  sweet  outpourings ;  the  fifth  is 
a  chronology  of  the  misfortunes  of  the  Jews  during 
the  two  centuries  succeeding  the  Middle  Ages.  The 
far-reaching  and  diversified  information  afforded  by 
copious  notes  and  appendices,  render  this  volume, 
independent  of  the  main  subject,  a  mine  of  learning. 
We  are,  besides,  carried  away  by  the  choicest  and 
most  touching  language.  Tears  must  flow  at  the 
harrowing  description  of  tortures  and  merciless  perse- 
cutions of  men  and  women  whose  crime  was  a  stead- 
fast devotion  to  principle.  We  cannot  refrain  from 
quoting  the  first  few  lines  of  this  treatise ;  soul-stirring 
words,  so  true,  and  so  nobly  told  :  "  If  there  be  an 
ascending  scale  of  sufferings,  Israel  reached  its 
highest  degree.  If  the  duration  of  afflictions,  and 
the  patience  with  which  they  are  borne,  confer 
nobility  upon  man,  the  Jews  may  vie  with  the  aris- 
tocracy of  any  country.  If  a  literature  which  owns 
a  few  classical  tragedies  is  deemed  rich,  what  place 
should  be  assigned  to  a  tragedy  which  extends  over 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  365 

fifteen  centuries,  and  which  has  been  composed  and 
enacted  by  the  heroes  themselves?" 

A  second  part  of  the  Synagogue  Poetry,  called 
"The  Rites  of  the  Synagogue  Service,  historically 
elucidated,"  was  issued  in  1859.  In  this  writing, 
the  gradual  accretion  and  modification  of  the  forms 
of  prayer  in  use  are  dwelt  upon,  and  the  ideas 
set  forth  are  both  useful  and  instructive.  A  third 
part  is  the  "  History  of  Synagogue  Poetry,"  which 
made  its  appearance  in  1865,  and  concludes  the 
series  referred  to.  This  last  reviews  the  various 
compositions  heretofore  mentioned,  and  other  poetical 
effusions  from  the  close  of  the  Talmud  to  a  modern 
epoch.     A  supplement  was  added  in   1867. 

To  speak  now  of  what  mental  efforts  such  a  work 
must  have  entailed,  would  be  an  act  of  supererogation. 
All  must  have  learnt  that  a  Zunz  alone  could  have 
brought  it  to  completion.  Yet  that  veritable  Titan 
modestly  remarks  that  he  has  solely  given  some 
faint  outlines,  and  he  trusts  that  "  the  future  workers 
in  this  precious  material  will  bear  with  him  who 
labored  merely  in  dressing  crude  ore."  But,  despite 
such  humility,  authorities  have  agreed  that  many 
of  Dr.  Zunz's  translations  will  compete  with  those 
of  Goethe,  Riickert,  and  other  renowned  masters. 

The  fertile  mind  of  Dr.  Zunz  has  produced  more 
than  what  can  be  enumerated  in  a  brief  sketch. 
But  we  may  name    "  The   Days  of  the  Calendar ;  a 


366  EMINENT    ISRAELITES    OF 

Commemoration  of  the  Departed,"  wherein  the  author 
cites  dates  of  the  deaths  of  Jewish  celebrities,  and 
also  of  Christians  who  proved  of  advantage  to  the 
cause  of  Judaism.  This  has  been  rendered  into 
English  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  B.  Pick.  ' Ir  ha-Tsedek,  or 
"The  City  of  Righteousness,"  was  issued  in  Hebrew 
in  1874,  and  the  first  volume  of  the  Doctor's  "Col- 
lected Writings"  came  from  the  press  in   1875. 

Giants  have  arisen  since  Leopold  Zunz  began  to 
benefit  Israel  by  unceasing  toil.  Can  any,  among 
the  earliest  or  latest,  say  to  him,  "  Thy  light  is  ob- 
scured "?  No  !  It  still  shines  with  brilliancy  !  May 
it  long  continue  to  emit  its  radiance.  May  it  arouse 
a  spirit  of  reverence  for  those  truths,  of  which  the 
man  of  Detmold  became  a  mighty  champion. 


INDEX. 


Adler,  Rev.  Dr.  Nathan  Marcus,  9- 
11,  17,  37, 172  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Hermann, 
10. 

Aguilar,  Grace,  12-15,  47)  J98  I  Eman- 
uel ,  12  ;  Mrs.  Sarah,  15  ;    Emanuel 

Jr.,  53- 
Alatri,  Samuel,  228. 
Alexander,  A.,  52. 
Allatini,  Dr.  M.,  340. 
Almosnino,  Rev.  Isaac,  51,  52. 
Antonelli,  Cardinal,  239. 
Artom,  Rev    Dr.  Benjamin,  15-18,56; 

Chevalier  Isaac,  16. 
Auerbach,  Berthold,  18-21. 

Bachi,  Rabbi  E.  D.,  327. 

Bamberger,  Dr.  Ludwig,  21-23. 

Barthelemy,  M.,  79. 

Basevi,  Maria,  64;  George,  64,  65. 

Bates,  Prof.,  126. 

Beer,  Dr.  Bernhard,  83,  250. 

Belisario,  Miss  Miriam  Mendes,  52. 

Benamozegh,  Rabbi  Prof.    Elias,  23-27; 

Joshua,  24. 
Benisch,  Dr.  Abraham,  132,  133,  329. 
Bentinck,  Lord  George,  219. 
Bernard,  Claude,  301. 
Billroth,  Prof.,  179. 
Binney,  Horace,  125. 
Bismarck,  Prince,  22,  179,  185,  186. 
Blanc,  Louis,  40. 
Blumenfeld,  I.  B.,  72. 
Botta,  P.  E.,  261. 
Bratiano,  M.,  359. 
Bresslau,  M   A.,  132. 
Burdett-Coutts,  Lady,  109. 
Bryant,  William  Cutlen,  126. 
Byron,  Lord,  64. 

Cadwalader,  General  George,  125. 
Cahen,  Samuel,  27-29  ;  Isidore,  29, 
Cahn,  Dr.,  137. 
Carey,  Henry  C,  126. 


Carlebach,  Dr.,  137. 

Carrel,  M.  Armand,  272. 

Caimoly,  Dr.  E.,  217. 

Cassel,  Dr.  David,  363. 

Cavour,  Count,  16. 

Champollion,  J.  F.,  261. 

Chapman,  Dr.  Nathaniel,  123. 

Charles,  Prince,  of  Roumania,  269. 

Cogalniceano,  M.,  359. 

Coiogna,  Rabbi  Mark  Isaac,  212. 

Cohen,  Barnet  L.,  241. 

Cohen,  Dr.  Jacob  Da  Silva  Solis,  29-32. 

Cohn,  Albert,  33-38,  49,  217,  252. 

Creizenach,  M.,  169. 

Cremieux,  Isaac  Adolphe,    39-41,  238, 

249,  357- 
Curiat,  Rabbi  M.  H.,  24. 
Curiel,  A.,  325. 
Curtius,  Prof.,  107. 

D'Abbadie,  M„  219. 

Darai,  Mose,  282,  283. 

Davids,  Arthur  Lumley, 42-44,  122,  218. 

Davidson,  Dr.  Samuel,  90. 

DeBenedetti,  Prof.  Salvatore,  327. 

Delaroche.  Paul,  273. 

Delitzsch,  Prof.  Franz,  69,  90. 

Delia  Torre,  Prof.  Lelio,  44-48. 

De  Oliveira,  Solomon,  50. 

Derenbourg,  Prot.  Joseph,  48-50. 

De  Sola,  Rev.  David  Aaron,  50-53,  54, 

289. 
De  Sola,  Rev.  Prof.  Abraham,  53-57. 
Deutsch,   Dr.    Emanuel    Oscar  Mena- 

hem,  57-61. 
D'Israeli,   Isaac,     61-66;    Ralph,    65; 

James,  65. 
Disraeli,  Right   Hon.   Benjamin  (Earl 

of  Beaconsfield),  65,  66,  319. 
Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  268. 
Dukes,  Leopold,  72,  217,  330. 
Dunash  ben-Labrat.  283. 
Dupin,  Jean  Jacques,  324. 
Dupont,  Commodore,  31. 


368 


INDEX. 


Edward  I. ,  of  England,  97. 

Eger,  Rabbi  Akiba,  192. 

Egers,  Rabbi,  134. 

Ehrmann,  Dr.,  137, 

Einhorn,  Rev   Dr.  David,  66-71. 

Elkin,  Jacob,  225. 

Emanuel  II.,  Victor,  228,  341. 

Feitel,  Benjamin,  346,  347. 

Filipowski.Herschell,  71-74. 

Firkowitch,  Abraham,  281,  282. 

Fould,  Achille,  74-77. 

Fraenckel,  Jonas,  84. 

Franck,  Prof.  Adolphe,  26,   77-81,  159, 

252. 
Frankel,  Dr.  Zacharias,  81-85,  106,  108, 

128,  217,  295. 
Frankl,  Ludwig  August,  86-88. 
Franklin,  Fabian,  130. 
Frtsnel,  Fulgence,  262. 
Fiirst,  Dr.  Julius,  89-91,  128,  217,  332. 

Gans,  Edward,  262. 

Gans,  David,  167. 

Garrison,  William  Lloyd,  304. 

Geiger,  Dr.   Abraham,   49,  92-96,   217, 

296  ;  Dr.  Ludwig,  96. 
Gladstone,  Right  Hon.  W.  E.,  162,  319. 
Goldberg,  B.,  72. 
Goldenbcrg,  Samutl  Loeb,  182. 
Goldsmid,  96-104,  225,  318  ;  Aaron,  97- 

98  ;    George,   97 ;    Asher,   97,  100  ; 

Benjamin  and    Abraham,   98-100 ; 

Sir  Isaac   Lyon,  100-102,   222  ;  Sir 

Francis  Henry,  102-103,  226.     * 
Goldsmid,  Miss  Anna  Maria,  16. 
Gottheil,  Rev.  Dr.  Gustav,  226. 
Graetz,  Prof.  Dr.  Hirsch,   84,   104-108, 

128,  216,  217,  284. 
Grant,  President  U.  S.,  269,  355. 
Gratz,  Rebecca,  109-112. 
Gregory  XVI.,  Pope,  34. 
Grote,  George,  319. 
Guizot,  M.,250. 

Haeckel,  Ernst,  301. 

Halevy,    Jacques   Francois   Fromental 

Elie,  113-116;  Leon,  115;  Ludovic, 

116. 
Halevy,  Joseph,  116-119. 
Hamburger,  Rabbi  Wolf,  67,  68. 


Hartog,  Numa   Edward,  1 19-122,  218  • 

Monsieur    Alphonse,     119;      Mrs. 

Marion,  119. 
Hasner,  Prof.,  331. 

Hayes,  President  Rutherford  B.,  270. 
Hays,  Dr.  Isaac,  123-126 ;  Dr.  I.  Minis, 

124. 
Hays,  Moses,  336. 
Heilprin,    Phineas     Mendel,    126-130; 

Michael,  130  ;  Louis,  130  ;    Angelo, 

130. 
Heine,  Heinrich,  235. 
Henriques,  Mr.,  225. 
Henry,  Michael,  130-133. 
Herzfeld,  Rabbi  Levi,  133-135. 
Heshel,  Rabbi  Joshua,  293. 
Hildesheimer,  Dr.  Israel,  135-138. 
Hirsch,  Baron  de,  339,  341. 
Hirsch,   Rabbi   Samson   Raphael,  105, 

138-142. 
Hirschel,  Rev.  Dr.  Solomon,  9,  142-144, 

289  ;  Rabbi  Zebi,  142. 
Holdheim,   Dr.   Samuel,    68,   128,   145- 

149. 
Horowitz,  Isaac,  281. 
Hosack,  Dr.  David,  265. 
Humboldt,   Alexander   Von,  302,  334  ; 

William  Von,  334. 
Hurwitz,  Prof.  Hyman,  227. 
Hyneman,   Rebekah,  149-153 ;    Benja- 
min, 150;  Leon,  150;  Sarah,  150. 

Irving,  Washington,  111. 

Isaacs,   Rev.   Samuel   Myer,    153-151; 

Isaac,  154;  Jacob,  154  ;  Rev.  Prof. 

David  Myer,   154,   157  ;    Myer  S., 

157;  JacobS.,  157;  Isaac  S.,   157; 

Dr.  Abram  S.,  157. 
•Isidor,  Rabbi  L.,  252. 

Jackson,  General  Andrew,  336. 

Jare,  Rabbi  G.,  327. 

Jellinek,  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph,  80,  157-160, 

217;  Hermann,  160. 
Jessel,   Right   Hon.   Sir   George,   160- 

163;  Zachariah  Nathaniel,  161. 
Joachim,  Joseph, 163-I65. 
Joel,  Dr.  Michael,  157. 
John,  King,  318. 
Johnson,  Dr.  Samuel,  62. 
Josephus,  Flavius,  133. 


INDEX. 


369 


Josephs,  Michael,  165-167. 
Jost,  Dr.  Isaac   Marcus,   49,  128,    167- 
170,  217,  284,  300. 

Kaempf,  Prof.  Dr.  S.  I.,  157. 

Kahn,  Dr.,  137. 

Kalisch,  Dr.  Marcus  M.,  170-17$. 

Kane,  John  K.,  125. 

Kaufmann,  Prof.  Dr.  David,  48. 

Kayserling,  Dr.  Moses,  173-176,  217. 

Kirchheim,  Raphael,  217. 

Kleeberg,  Minna,  176-180  ;  Rev.  Dr.  L., 

178. 
Kohler,  Rev.  Dr.  Kaufmann,  71. 
Krochmal,  Nachman,  180-183,  2°3,  216, 

217. 

Lasker,  Edward,  21,  22,  179,  184-186. 
Lattes,  Rabbi  Aaron,  44  ;  Rabbi  Moses, 

24. 
Lazarus,  Emma,  186-192. 
Lazarus,  Prof.  Dr.  Moritz,  192-195,  334; 

Aaron  Levin,  192  ;  Dr.  L.,  192. 
Layard,  Right  Hon.  Sir  Austen  Henry, 

261. 
Lehmann,  Dr.  Mayer,  137. 
Leeser,  Rev.  Isaac,  56, 112, 195-201,  221, 

35i. 
Lenormant,  F.,91. 
Leo,  Rev.  Ansel,  290. 
Letteris,  Dr.  Maximilian,  201-205,217; 

Rabbi  Gershon,  202. 
Levetus,  Mrs.,  119. 
Levi,  Rabbi  Benedict,  24. 
Levi,  David,  52. 
Levi,  Rabbi  G.  E.,  325. 
Levi,  Joseph,  325. 
Levi,  Phineas,  278. 
Levinski,  Jacob  Levi,  255. 
Levinsohn,  J.  B.,  210. 
Levy,  Rabbi  Abraham  Eliezer,  212. 
Levy,  Prof.  M.  A.,  250. 
Levy,  Post-Captain  Uriah  Phillips,  205- 

208. 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  304. 
Lindenthal,  I.  L.,  52,  289. 
Loewe,  Rev.  Dr.  Louis,  208-211, 238, 249. 
Lowy,  Rev.  Albert,  329,  362. 
Longperier,  M.  De,  252. 
Loria,  Rabbi  Amos,  327. 
Luzzatti,  Luigi,  228. 


Luzzatto,    Prof.    Samuel    David,  27,  46, 

72,  128,  211-217,  300,  315  ;    Moses 

Hayim,  212  ;  Ephraim,  212  ;  Heze- 

kiah,  212  ;  Dr.  Isaiah,  217;  Joseph, 

217;  Dr.  Benjamin,  217. 
Luzzatto,  Philoxene,  122,  217,  218-221. 
Lyon,  Robert,  221-223,  351. 
Lyons,  Rev.  Jacques  J.,  56,  156,  190. 
Macaulay,  Lord,  319. 
Madison,  President  James,  255. 
Mahmoud  II.,  Sultan,  43. 
Maimonides,    Rabbi   Moses,    128,   148 

183,  251. 
Manin,  Daniel,  229,  230. 
Mannheimer,  Isaac  Noah,  47,  330. 
Marks,   Rev.   Prof.    David    Woolf,    17, 

143,  223-228. 
Maroni,  Rabbi  David  J.,  326. 
Marx,  Dr.,  137. 

Maurogonato,  Isaac  Pesaro,  228-230. 
Mayer,  Dr.  Maurice,  95. 
Mazzini,  Joseph,  304. 
Medigo,  Elias  del,  95,  299. 
Meldola,  Rev.  Dr.  Raphael,  15,  17,  230- 

233;      Rabbi    Moses,     231;     Rev. 

David,  232,  233. 
Menasseh  Ben  Israel,  Rabbi,  50. 
Mendelssohn,  Moses,  47,  166,   200,  301 

344,  348. 
Mendes,  David  Franco,  50. 
Menton,  Count  Ratti,  238. 
Meredith,  William  M.,  125. 
Meyerbeer,  Giacomo,  233-236 ;  Wilhelm, 

236;  Michael,  236. 
Mezzofante,  Cardinal,  35. 
Mitchell,  Mr.,  132. 
Mocatta,  Moses,  225,  238. 
Modena,  Leon  de,  26,  95,  300. 
Moi'se,  Miss  Penina,  187. 
Mommsen,  T.,  107. 
Montefiore,  Sir  Moses,  36,  37,  39,  51,  56, 

143,  156,  208,  209,  210,  236-240,   241, 

242,  249,  317,  3i8,  325,  337  ;    Joseph 

E.,  237  ;  Abraham,  237. 
Montefiore,  Lady  Judith,  56,    109,   238» 

240-242. 
Montefiore,  Mrs.  Charlotte,  52. 
Morpurgo,  Emilio,  228. 
Mortara,  Edgar,  239. 
Mortara,  Rabbi  Marco,  24. 


37o 


INDEX. 


Morteira,  Saul  Levi,  50. 

Moscheles,  Ignaz,  243-245. 

Mosenthal,  Dr.  Salomon  Hermann,  245- 

247. 
Miiller,  Prof.  Max,  331. 
Mulder,  Dr.  S.  I.,  299. 
Munk,  Prof.  Dr.  Salomon,  36,  38,'t49,9i, 

217,238,  247-252. 

Napoleon  III.,  Louis,  40,  75,  101. 
Neubauer,  Dr.  Adolph,  94,  96,  253. 
Newman,  Selig,  252-255. 
Nieto,  Rabbi  David,  15,  210,  231,  232. 
Nightingale,  Florence,  109. 
Noah,      Mordecai     Manuel,     255-258 ; 
Robert  M.,  256. 

O'Connell,  Daniel,  219. 
Offenbach,  Jacques,  258-261. 
Oppert,  Prof.  Dr.  Jules,  91,  261-264. 

Paulus,  Dr.  J.  E.  G  ,  305. 

Peixotto,  Dr.  Daniel  Levy  Maduro,  265- 
267;  Moses  L  M.,  265. 

Peixotto,  Benjamin  Franklin.  267-271, 
355  ;  George,  270. 

Pereire,  Emile,  271-273;  Jacob  Rodri- 
guez, 271 ;  Isaac,  271,  272,  273. 

Peres,  Rev.  Jacob  J.,  53. 

Philippe,  Louis,  40. 

Philippson,  Dr.  Ludwig,  36,  134,  273- 
277. 

Phillips,  Sir  Benjamin  Samuel,  277- 
279,  320. 

Picciotto,  M.  H.,  300. 

Pick,  Rev.  Dr.  B.,  366. 

Pinsker,  Simcha,  217,  279-284. 

Pius  IX.,  Pope,  228,  239. 

Piza,  Rev.  David,  52. 

Pontremoli,  Ezra,  325. 

Porto,  Rabbi  M.  C,  214. 

Posznanski,  Rev.  Gustavus,  350. 

RACHEL^Felix),  Elisabeth,  285-287. 
Radba  (David  ben-Abraham),  282,  283. 
Ranke,  Leopold,  107. 
Raphall,  Rev.   Dr.   Morris   Jacob,   52, 

131,  287-29i,;347. 
Rapoport,   Rabbi   Salomon  Loew,     n, 

128,  182,  216,  217,   291-296,  316,   349) 

361. 
Rawlinson,  Sir  Henry  C.,  261. 


Reggio,  Prof.  Isaac  Samuel,  53,  217, 
296-301 ;   Rabbi   Abraham  V.,  297. 

Reimann,  Prof.,  302. 

Reinaud,  M.,  50. 

Remak,  Prof.  Dr.  Robert,  301-303. 

Remusat,  Abel,  248. 

Renan,  Ernest,  91,  251. 

Ristori,  Madame  Adelaide,  246. 

Riesser,  Dr.  Gabriel,  303-308. 

Rittershaus,  Herr,  178. 

Rogers,  Samuel,  65. 

Rosellini,  H.,  261. 

Rosenmiiller,  E.  F.  C,  216. 

Rothschild,  34,  35,  172,  308-315,  318; 
Meyer  Anselm,  308-309;  Baron 
Nathan  Meyer,  309-312  ;  Baron 
Lionel  Nathan  de,  37,  311,  312-313, 
319, 320;  Sir  Anthony  de,  36,  313-314; 
Baron  Anselm,  309,  312;  Baron  Sol- 
omon de,  36,  309  ;  Baron  Charles, 
309,  311;  Baron  James  de,  36,  309; 
Charlotte,  311;  Baroness  Hannah 
de,  241. 

Saadiah  Gaon,  283. 

Sachs,  Dr.  Michael,  217,  315-318. 

Sacy,  Sylvestre  de,  34,  248. 

Salomons,  Sir  David,  37,  318-321. 

Salvador,  Joseph,  321-324. 

Saruk,  Rabbi  Menahem  Ben,  72,  73. 

Sassoon,  Sir  Albert,  17. 

Schiller-Szinessy,  Rev.  Dr.  S.  M.,  253. 

Schmiedl,  Dr., 284. 

Schorr,  Osias  H.,  282. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,  in. 

Schwarz.  Rabbi  Joseph,  200. 

Seixas,  Rev.  Isaac  B.,  196. 

Sergeant,  John,  125. 

Servi,  Rabbi  Flaminio,  325-328. 

Shepherd,  Rezin  Davis,  337. 

Simmons,  Rev.  L.  M.,226. 

Smith,  George,  261. 

Smith,  Prof.  Goldwin,  it,  160. 

Smith,  Admiral  Sir  Sydney,  209. 

Soave,  Moses,  327. 

Sorani,  Rabbi  Moses,  326. 

Spinoza,  Benedict,  19,  275. 

Steinschneider,    Dr.    Moritz,     174,    217, 

327,  328-333;  Jacob,  329. 
Steinthal,  Prof.  Dr.  Heymann,  195,  333- 

335- 


INDEX. 


371 


Stem,  Dr.  Adolph,  270. 
Stem,  Simon  A.,  20. 
Strangford,  Lady,  61. 
Sully,  T.,  in. 
Sulzberger,  Mayer,  198. 
Sussex,  Duke  of,  166,  209. 

Taylor,  Hon.  Bayard,  20. 
Tedeschi,  Rabbi  Mark,  16. 
Tedeschi,  Rabbi  Moses  Isaac,  24. 
Touro,  Judah,    335-338;     Rev.   Isaac, 

336. 
Trebitsch,  Rabbi  Nahum,  329. 
Treves,  Rabbi  S.  G.,  45. 
Tudela,  Benjamin  de,  247. 

Van  Buren,  President  Martin,  257. 
Van  Oven,  Dr.  Joshua,  225. 
Veneziani,  Emanuel,  339-341. 
Victoria,  Queen,  238,  279. 
Vidaver,  Rev.  Dr.  Henry,  204,  255. 
Vogler,  Abbe,  234. 


Wagner,  Richard,  179. 

Waldenberg,  Abraham,  193  ;  Prof.,  193. 

Weber,  Bernhard  Anselm,  234. 

Weber,  Carl  Maria  Von,  234. 

Weil,  Prof.  Gustav,  342-344. 

Wernich,  Prof.,  33. 

Wessely,  Naphtali  Hartwig  (or  Herz), 

289.  344-349;  Joseph,  344;    Moses, 

345  ;  Berend,  345. 
Whitney,  Prof.,  335. 
Wilberforce,  William,  304. 
William  III.,  of  England,  97. 
William  IV.,  of  Germany,  307. 
Wise,  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  Mayer,  349-353. 
Wistar,  Dr.  Caspar,  125. 
Wolcot,  Dr.  John,  63. 
Wolf,  Simon,  354-357. 
Wood,  Dr.  George  B.,126. 
Worms,  Baron  Henry  de,  357-360. 

Zacuto,  Rabbi  Abraham,  167. 
Zunz,  Dr.  Leopold,  44,  104, 128, 168,  182, 
217,  332,  349,  360-366. 


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